


Devil's Hangman

by PerditusFic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2018-08-30 21:56:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 111,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8550658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerditusFic/pseuds/PerditusFic
Summary: Regina Mills is known across the seas as the Queen of the Damned: the eternally cursed ruler of the pirates. In order to free herself of her curse she must do the impossible and find someone to love her, as well as the monster inside. SQ Pirate AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of Rape & Prostitution, Language, Heavy Alcohol Use, Brief Self Harm, Human Trafficking, etc.

_"Tell me about the pirates again, father," the boy begged under the dim light._

_His father laughed and nodded, raising a finger, "One more time boy. You need your rest."_

_"I swear this time will be the last."_

_"Alright…" the man sighed. "The seas were silent…for twenty whole years. Not a pirate in sight. Then one day, wading in the quiet of the Persian Gulf, a ship the size of the city rose up through the crashing waves. It was the perfect ship. Every man's dream."_

_"And the navy was out, patrolling the waters," the boy said in glee._

_"That's right and the mysterious ship rammed right through it."_

_"What happened next Papa?"_

_"You already know what happened, my boy."_

_"But that's the best part. Tell it again."_

_"The Captain, Richard Doyle, of the English Navy looked up at the ship as it continued moving. He stayed in the water too stunned to speak a word and when he looked up to the ship, standing above him was a woman as beautiful as the sea itself dressed in the coats of a captain. Her eyes were dark as night and skin tanned from the sun of the place where the trees grow above the clouds and the Spaniards escape to the ice blue falls and exotic women."_

_"South America."_

_"That's right…and behind this woman stood before him were giant sails. Proud sails. Captain Doyle looked on in fear as the ship flew the Jolly Roger. From then on every ship that stood in its way lay victim to the Devil's Hangman merciless crew and its captain, the Queen of the Damned."_

_"No, Papa, Queen of the Pirates."_

_"Ah, yes. Queen of the Pirates."_

_"I'm going to sail on her ship one day."_

_"Son, being a pirate is dangerous work."_

_"Don't worry papa, I'll be the best pirate there is. You'll see."_

_"So I will. Now get to bed or the Devil's Hangman will dock in our port tonight and steal you away by morning."_

_The boy buried himself under the blankets, pulling them up to his face so that only his eyes peeked out from under them, "Night, Papa."_

_"Goodnight, Killian."_

* * *

She took a deep breath, releasing any frustration that had previously seeped into her body. Rum seemed to be useless as of late. All the pent up frustration had to go somewhere and there wasn't much form of release on a ship at sea for months. She took another breath closing her eyes slowly as the three pairs of hands roamed her body, apparently washing away tinges of blood and dirt as well as some of her natural tension.

A hand lightly brushed her cheek and routinely she opened her mouth to accept the cherry. Another quickly followed and she tilted her head at the faint sounds behind her bathroom chamber doors before they flew open, the golden handles smashing into the walls. With the raise of her finger, the hands on her chest and legs stopped moving and pulled away. She opened her eyes slowly, tension building up in her jaw again, "What is it, Jones?"

"Captain Mills," the man started, looking over to her but quickly averting his eyes away from her bare torso above the bath water. He sighed and walked around the sunken tub infused into the marble floor keeping his eyes on the girls as opposed to the woman he was addressing. "You told me to inform you of any progress on the ship…"

"Yes, I did."

"It's done."

"Done?" He nodded glancing out of the windows. He heard the water splashing around and from the corner of his eye, watched the girls scurry out of the room with blushed faces and giggles erupting from them. When he turned there was only one young woman left pulling a bath towel around the naked woman as she turned to face him. "You said done?"

"It's finished, Regina," he nodded.

"Good. You can be useful for something it seems, Killian," the brunette breathed out. "We leave tonight."

"As you wish, Captain." He turned on his heel to leave but she grabbed his arm to stop him. She glanced over to the servant busying herself with cleaning up the water around the edges of the tub, "You may leave us, Charlotte. I will dress myself."

"Your clothes are in your chambers," The blonde said and bowed her head, leaving quietly.

"Captain?" Killian questioned once the doors had been closed again.

"Before we leave…"

"You'd like to go out in town. Shall I find you a few women and men to keep you company?" He looked at her with a smirk.

"I'm in the mood for no man, Jones. A woman will be fine. One woman…a good woman."

"You've been unsatisfied with every man and woman you've taken to bed for the past month. Why not just pick one of your servants? They already seem very eager to touch you."

"They're innocent, inexperienced girls," Regina sighed walking towards the doors that led to her bedchambers. Killian followed loosely behind her not actively attempting to watch her dress. Although it was unavoidable to see her back side as the towel fell away and she pulled on her undergarments.

"So you purposely want whores to spend the night with? All because they've done it before?"

"Would you prefer inexperience when you're in a hurry?" Regina countered. She fastened her belt tightly and turned around to him. Killian rolled his eyes at her.

Although, there wasn't much reason for the woman to be shy about anything. So she wasn't even when it came to having her first mate present when she was bare from the waist up...or even the waist down. If she covered up it was only because someone else was uncomfortable and she rarely cared for someone else's discomfort anyway.

"The problem is that you're always in a hurry. What makes sex quixotic is learning…seeing as you're not looking for more than one night or passion, I would prefer you not carp about what you get."

"Quixotic? Have you been reading poetry?"

"If I have it's been from your collection," he said waving his hand around the room where there were shelves of books almost as high as the ceiling.

"As a captain of a _pirate_ vessel, I don't have time for quixotic or passion or whatever other madness will escape you today."

Killian stayed silent before bowing his head, "I will go and find you a pretty mug from the brothel then."

"Useful," she muttered. "Send them back in."

"Aye aye, Captain."

"Thank you."

"You know this only adds to you really being what they call you."

"And what is that, dear?"

"Queen of the Damned," he said opening the doors and leaving.

Three sets of feet scurried back in and began to quickly aid her in tightening her corset despite her not requesting them to do so. Another set of feet came through the big doors before they closed back again. Regina kept her eyes on the window in front of her, letting out a small grunt feeling something get pulled tight. All the hands hesitated before a voice spoke, "Don't be scared. She can handle the roughness."

The pulling and tying resumed shortly and Regina smirked, "You say that about everything, Ruby."

"It's truth, isn't it?" the brunette replied coming to stand in front of her. She received a nod in return. "I hear you're sailing soon."

"By nightfall."

"Don't you ever think to rest for a moment?"

"You know I don't sleep...at least not often."

"Sleep and rest are entirely different things, Regina," Ruby sighed invading the woman's personal space. She raised her hand and ran her hand over the woman's chest just above the corset. Her fingers brushed the violent wound over her heart. "Take care of this. Apply the creams I give you and it won't look so angry with time."

"I'll do my best," Regina said halfheartedly.

"You may not think so but I believe this can still beat again," the younger woman said pressing her hand flat against the warm skin under her palm. "So come back to me in one piece, Captain."

"I'm not yours to lose," Regina snapped.

"One night together and you think I've fallen in love with you," Ruby laughed. The servants had long finished dressing the woman and were blushing at the mention of them together before Ruby turned to them and said, "You're done here. Go do something useful with yourselves. You already have the privilege of touching her in the bath. You don't need stories as well."

They all rushed out with grins to find something to do amongst themselves. Regina shook her head with a smirk, "Now you've gone and given them something to chatter about."

"I'm sure they had much to talk about before I mentioned it. Why so young? You tease them."

"I like to relax and they take their time."

"I'll never really understand you, Regina…" Ruby shook her head. "You're very mistaken though. I've not fallen for you, you filthy pirate. You're my closest friend and you need someone to be waiting for you here or you won't come back. You're in desperate need of someone to care for you since you don't seem to want to do it yourself."

"There's no need to worry about me."

"Promise me at least that, my friend."

"As you wish, Miss Lucas."

* * *

"Drink up mates!" Killian shouted over the music. "We sail tonight!"

The crew yelled and chanted in response, drinks spilling and drunkenly stumbling around the establishment. Killian hopped down from the counter, rum sloshing around in his mug. A man came up to him with a worried look on his face. He put a hand on his shoulder with grin on his face, "Quartermaster, how are you? Enjoying the rum?"

"The boatswain is ready to depart. The water in these parts are getting restless. It's best we leave before the storm blows in."

"Captain loves a good storm," Killian laughed.

"But sir-"

"Smee, everything will be fine."

"She wanted to leave as soon as possible."

"Aye, she does," he nodded. He pushed his drink into the short man's chest and started to leave out of the main area. "Enjoy that mate. I'm going to go retrieve our dear captain."

He didn't wait for a reply as he left, creeping up the stairs of the tavern passing by several couples together. It really took an uncaring pirate to not even bat an eyelash at the two sets of people practically naked in the halls.

He slid pass them and walked down to the end of the hall. The room was exclusively for his captain. The noise started off dull until the moans got louder and louder. His walk slowed down at the obvious banging on the other side of the door. Without a second thought he knocked on the door making sure it was loud enough to hear on the other side. His eyes widened at scream of...well it seemed to be a mix of both pleasure and pain. It echoed off the walls of the room and he raised a smug eyebrow.

"Well, done, Captain," he said to himself.

Shortly after the sounds faded and a small round of moans continued to whisper out of the room. Killian leaned forward to listen in but the door swung open with the brunette he was looking for walking out and ignoring his presence as she slipped into her coat. He watched her go and then looked back into the room at the blonde who looked pleasantly shocked and he nodded and gave awkward wave to the woman as he closed the door.

"Captain," he called following her down the hallway. "Captain."

"What is it, Jones?"

"We're ready to set sail."

"Good," Regina nodded walking through the herds of her crew as they sung tunes with drunken slurs and drank up to their eyeballs in rum.

" _But_ -"

"But?" the brunette hissed turning swiftly to him. Killian grabbed a drink from the tray that was walked by them and handed it to her. She took it with a skeptically raised eyebrow and her lips pursed.

"You know how it is when we dock. We have a new crew."

"How new?"

"Nearly all the deck hands. It's not as bad as it could be, love." She dropped down in a seat and he sat down across from her. "Once we leave, you know some young boys will sneak on board. They're all expendable. Throw some off the ship for a show if you like."

"I might take you up on that offer."

"I take it the woman wasn't satisfying enough?"

"Decent. I don't appreciate noisy. She squirmed too much for my liking."

"Sure about that, love? Last time I checked every single time I've passed by your rooms, here or on the ship, it's always loud." He laughed and she rolled her eyes. Leaning forward, he beckoned her to come closer and the brunette complied, "How do you do it? Even I can't get a woman to scream like that."

"You really want to know?" Regina smirked. He nodded with grin and she gestured for him to lean forward. Killian leaned in even more and was met with a hand closing in on his throat immediately. He tried to pull away but was held in place. Regina stood up from her seat and tightened her hold on his neck before she released him, "Mind your own damn business. Anybody who's going better be on the ship before me."

"Aye, Mills," he panted rubbing his hand over his reddened neck. She left him and he scrambled out of his seat and followed behind her. "Any requests?"

"No," she replied flatly.

He nodded and addressed the room as she left the tavern. She continued walking towards the docks sparing a glance at her estate as she walked. It was quiet and the sun was nearly done setting a thunder rolled over the clouds in the distance. A light trickle started already and she walked at a somewhat slow pace hearing the tavern behind her erupt in frantic sounds until the door was thrown open and several dozen men rushed ahead of her, pants falling and hats ready to fly away.

"Well I do believe you'll have plenty of people to toss overboard," Killian chuckled walking beside her.

"Maybe I won't be taking my anger out on you then."

"I won't hope too much. I know that won't be the case."

"You could be on my good side if my ship is intact."

"It's damn near impossible to take it apart. Luckily we still managed to make the upgrades you wanted." She hummed her approval watching the men ahead of them continue to run off to the ship. "How long are we sailing for? 6 months?"

"No, shorter this time."

"How short?"

"3 weeks."

"Are we going searching again?" he asked.

"Wherever the map takes us, I suppose...the cook?" Regina questioned.

"He's still with us. I wouldn't let him leave if he wanted to. If I have to swallow down anymore watered down soup I just might die."

"Lucky you," the older woman muttered.

"Sorry I mentioned it. You could try harder to break your curse you know. If being a pirate isn't something you want-"

"I was born a pirate against my mother's wishes. I enjoy every moment of it but I'd actually like to live."

"At least you can pull off the impossible for now. Do a million deplorable things..."

"I'm already a pirate."

"Well…a million more then."

"I suppose I have the time," she smirked, quickly stopping her movements. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips at the sight before her. Killian looked at her to gauge a reaction but her face stayed the same, only giving off a look of surprise. "My baby…"

"Fresh coat of paint while you were gone. Took the whole two weeks you were out. Gold trim is redone."

She reached over and patted his shoulder and started towards the ship, "I won't kill you today if that puts you at ease any."

He chuckled lightly, uneasiness lacing his tone. Although it did put him at ease. She had a short temper and she was known amongst the pirate world to throw new men off the ship in the middle of the ocean. They wouldn't have to do anything wrong, if she felt like it, she did it.

"Whoa," someone said next to him. He looked over to the young man standing there looking at the ship in amazement. He grinned and let his thoughts of being thrown overboard fade.

"Welcome aboard." The boy looked at him curiously. "This is the Devil's Hangman, son. Hope you were expecting some adventure."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of Rape and prostitution, language, and heavy alcohol use, self harm (it's a still a pirate fic)
> 
> Beta: Withgirl
> 
> Enjoy.

The estate was always quiet when Regina left. Most would say it was because of the lack of sexual activity going on but Ruby was convinced it was something else. Sure that part was true, other than that the pirate didn't do much talking. She drew lines over maps that Ruby didn't understand and read books.

But as she watched the Hangman's captain depart on her horse to the docks, she was determined to find out what it was that made the house quiet. It was mostly because her lack of entertainment during Regina's trips.

As she sat in the library of the estate, reading a mystery novel, a pair of familiar timid steps approached, "Ma'am?"

Ruby looked up from her book at the man at the door. She tilted her head to the side, urging him to continue. He stepped inside a bit more and closed the door behind him, glancing around for any sign of other people present. She glanced around as well with a suspicious look in her eye at his abnormal behavior

"I'm alone," Ruby assured pushing up from the chaise and dropping her book on the soft cushion. "You may speak freely."

"You have a...visitor."

"Should I be wary of them?" Ruby asked cautiously, recalling were she kept weapons hidden in places only known by herself.

He sighed and pursed his lips in thought, "Personally speaking, I would suggest that you do."

"Very well then. I'll see them and get them out of here as soon as I can."

"Miss Lucas?" he called after her as she walked to the doors.

"What is it?"

"Looks to be a man of the government."

"We can't have that now can we?" She grabbed her book and pushed it back into its spot on the massive shelf. The short man nodded and then frowned before shaking his head. She smirked at him, "Regina wouldn't approve of having a government man snooping around her things. Warn the guards to keep an eye out. Tell them to make sure there aren't any friends of his lurking around the estate."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you, Mr. Bailey."

Ruby left the private library and walked to the entrance nodding to a guard to follow her for precaution. He followed silently until they came to the foyer. The older man looked nervous wringing his coat in his hands very firmly. She relaxed, seeing that he was probably the least threatening government man she'd ever encountered.

"How may I assist you?" Ruby questioned.

"I'm here to…" he hesitated. "My name is Maurice…Maurice French. I work for-"

"I know who you work for. And it's fairly dangerous for you to be lurking around a known pirate district."

"I haven't come here looking for trouble," he raised his hands to show his innocence.

"What is it that you need here, Mr. French?"

"I'm here for the captain…of Devil's Hangman. I need her assistance."

"With what exactly?" Ruby asked skeptically.

"I'd rather discuss that with… _her majesty_."

"Everything that comes through this door goes through me first. My job, strangely enough, is to protect the captain. So if I feel that something is threatening, I eliminate it." Ruby spoke calmly but that didn't keep the visitor from paling at her words. The guard hovering over them smirked, flashing his teeth to reveal a gold crown over his canine. Maurice took a subtle step away from them both and closer to the door. Ruby tried not to be amused about it and shrugged casually, "Besides…the _Queen_ of the Damned isn't here right now."

"What?" He looked utterly horrified of that fact and Ruby figured something other than the government invading the estate was going on. "When will she be back? Few hours?"

"A few weeks, Mr. French. She's a very busy woman." His face blanched and his hands tightened around his coat as sweat began to build up on his forehead. "Why don't you stay for some tea?"

He glanced behind him anxiously before nodding his head. Ruby led him into Regina's study and sat with him in front of the massive fireplace. Just as they sat down the doors opened up with Charlotte walking in with the tea she had mentioned. Ruby nodded her thanks before the blonde left the room.

"From the way you're holding yourself I believe it's safe to assume you need a bit more than simple tea," Ruby commented to break the silence. He didn't reply and she sighed to herself pushing the tea cup in his direction for encouragement, "Charlotte knows a nervous man a mile away. She slipped you something. Should loosen you up."

He nodded and reluctantly took the cup, taking a weak sip from it before scrunching up his nose, "What's in this?"

"Whiskey by the look on your face," Ruby chuckled. "What is it that you came here seeking the captain for?"

He sat the cup down and placed his hands on his knees, "It's my…my daughter. She was taken."

"Taken?"

"Yes…by pirates."

She was taken aback by his words, wondering if he knew what kind of captain Regina was, "You're aware that Regina Mills is a pirate lord, aren't you? If not, then surely you know she is the pirate above all pirates?"

"I understand that yes. But I've heard rumors…that she would take jobs for the right price and I'm willing to pay it."

"She has accepted such things but…why her?"

"Unfortunately, I have no doubt in my mind that my Belle has been abused in more ways than I care to find out. I have more faith that your captain will return her." Tears gather at the corners of his tired, blue eyes.

"This neither confirms or denies anything but no pirate, man or woman, would put themselves above taking advantage. Not to say that she will but it's a foolish thing to put faith in a pirate."

"I understand the code of no code but I've gone to the pirate captains I could find. I'd feel better knowing she was the one to go out and find her. I'm desperate ma'am. The navy refuses to help to retrieve my daughter. I have no other choice."

"There's nothing she can do right now but she will be back in 3 weeks. I believe she will help you."

"Thank you so much." He reached out to take her hand. Ruby smiled sympathetically at him, giving her hand to accept his appreciative shake. "I truly mean it. My Belle is everything to me."

"I know the feeling of losing something you love." The older man nodded, accepting the empathy lightly. "I'll do everything I can until Captain Mills is back from her trip."

"You have all my thanks."

She cleared her throat and sat her tea down on the table and settled her hands in her lap, "Yes…now, what can you tell me about your daughter? Anything that could specify who may have taken her? Where she liked to go? Any men she particularly shared company with?"

"Yes, I'll do my best."

* * *

"What do you think they're going to do with us?" a voice asked breaking the eerie silence that followed the darkness around below the deck. The ship swayed in an almost soothing pattern lulling most of the young men back to sleep.

"We're going to be pirates you twit," another voice replied. Some other grumbling followed, more than likely disagreeing with his statement.

"Do you know what ship we're on?" the first boy hissed turning over in his bunk. "It's the bloody Devil's Hangman."

"What's your point?"

"The captain, the Queen of the Damned, she's a pirate lord."

"What the bloody fuck about it?!"

"She won't hesitate to kill us if we mess up. Haven't you heard the stories?"

"Screw the stories. That bitch won't touch me."

"That bitch…" Killian said appearing before all the bunks. "Wants to see you sorry lot up top. Why don't you go say that to her face?"

They scrambled out of their beds and stood to attention as the morning light flashed down on them from the spaces between the floorboards of the deck. Killian walked the line, inspecting the lines of their soft faces. It was tossup with them. Most of them he could imagine surviving the first sail out. The others were either going to perish or the captain was going to throw them overboard and as harsh as it sounded it was hell of a show to see. And he was unashamed to say that he did enjoy it.

"You're all pathetic. Most of you won't make it but it's too late to change your mind about getting on this ship unless you think you can swim all the way back to shore," he said loudly. His feet stopped in front of one them and leaned in close to his face, "You, boy. What's your name?"

"James."

"Mr. James. You, sir, can make your way to the captain's quarters. I'm sure she'd love to hear your thoughts on her." When he didn't move or respond, Killian grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him so they were nose to nose, "I said captain's quarters, boy. We can always start the day throwing you off the ship. It'll be your lucky day too. The sharks are out just waiting for us to throw them breakfast."

The boy jerked out of his grip and sidestepped him to leave and go up top. Killian watched him go with a sneer on his face before turning back to the rest of them, "Obviously you're new here." They all glanced around noticing that most of the hammocks and cots were empty except for the group of them that were new to being on a pirate ship. He shrugged and continued, "Well, anyway as for the rest of you. Enjoy breakfast because you're going to work…right to the bone."

They all nodded obediently and filed out. He let them go all except one, "You…your name?"

"Neal."

"Neal," Killian repeated. "How old are you?"

"22."

"No younger than myself it seems. So you've heard them? The stories of the Devil's Hangman?"

"Yes, sir."

"You believe them?"

"Yeah, I do. The captain, she's…her heart stopped and she hasn't aged a day in over 50 years. It's true isn't it?"

"Aye. It is."

"I told myself I'd become a pirate to sail on the ship with her. The Queen of Pirates."

Killian gave him a tight grin and patted his shoulder, "The captain will like you. That's always best...safer that way."

"Thank you, sir."

"Go on."

He pushed him towards the exit and followed behind him. The bright morning sun beamed down on them harshly. The part of the crew who knew to get up earlier than the boys had already been out on deck working and were working up a sweat under the heat. He glanced up to the crow's nest and noticed the man looking tiredly out to the sea.

"Oi!" Killian called up to him. The redheaded man looked down to him and squinted. "Come down from there. On to the mess hall with you."

A grateful look passed over his face and the brunette man turned back to the rest of the deck seeing most of everyone leaving towards the stairs that led down to the mess hall for their breakfast. His eyes roamed over to James walking up to the guards at the doors to the captain's quarters.

"I'm looking for the captain," James muttered looking away from the two men that towered over him.

They were in different clothes than the rest of them. Depending on the sea dock one decided to become a pirate they probably had cultured pirate wear. They were tall and stuck in between muscled and just over weight. Their waists were strapped with scimitar swords and he was sure from the many people that had come in and out of their port they were the notorious Arabian pirates. Most feared right under the Queen herself.

"Who are you, boy?" one of them spoke with a shiver causing deep voice. "You don't look familiar."

"Jones sent me here to see the captain."

"Well, I don't know you, you rat," he said taking a dangerous step forward. "If I don't know you-"

"Let him in," a deep, sultry voice commanded from inside the room. The guard pulled his hand away from grabbing the boy's throat. He stepped aside and James slipped between them, staring warily at them as he went. He walked through the door and stopped at the purples and reds covering the room. It wasn't what he expected of captain's quarters on a pirate ship. It was more elegant, like a cabin of a British Naval captain.

His eyes instantly fell to the bed on his right, silk sheets and red pillows vacant of the woman he was looking for, until a patronizing laugh echoed around him. His eyes snapped up to the woman at the desk directly opposite the door on the other side of the room. He jumped as the doors of the cabin slammed shut behind him.

"You're not man enough to catch me lying in bed," Regina snorted and he winced at her tone. She looked up to him again her expression on her face instantly became unreadable. "Is that what you think you're here for?"

"No." He shook his head frantically averting his eyes from hers.

"Don't think you'll be anything important to me, Mr. James." He looked at her with wide eyes. She slammed a glass jar at the edge of her desk and leaned back in her chair. The boy gulped nervously and took that as her way of commanding him to come forward. He took tentative steps until he was at the edge of the desk. She bowed her head shortly and the jar was picked up.

James looked up in confusion and his face flushed at seeing her undo the linen shirt over shoulders. Like anyone, his green eyes fell on the jagged wound over her chest.

He'd heard her story briefly and like his father he dismissed it. The woman didn't exist as far as he was concerned until now. He wanted to be aboard the Devil's Hangman. Now that he knew she was real, she was more terrifying then he had expected. Sensing what he was being asked to do he walked around the desk pulling the lid off the jar as she turned in her chair.

Something caught his eye and he figure being on her bad side wouldn't get much worse if he spared a glance. So he looked and instantly regretted it.

He shouted and jumped back, knocking around things on the woman's desk. There was a small space in the corner where a bookshelf obviously was but on the wall adjacent to the shelf was man hanging on the wall by a sword stuck through his chest and into the wall.

"My mind, body, and soul are joined with the ship. He wasn't a very loyal man."

"He's dead," the boy stammered.

"He is. And I'm making your first duty on my ship to be to dump that body into the ocean _by yourself_ and if I sense you've not done what I told you, you'll be next."

He glanced back at the blood pooling under the dead body and turned his eyes back to the woman. Hesitantly, he dipped his fingers into the jar and stepped forward to her. He held his breath as he leaned forward and smeared the cream against her chest. Their eyes met and he looked for any sign of him doing something wrong before he continued to timidly rub it in, cringing at the feeling of the broken skin against his hand.

The stories of the Devil's Hangman and its captain sprouted up almost 50 years ago yet this mark - that had been seen the exact same way by everyone who was allowed close enough – never changed. Never faded or healed.

"You feel that?" Regina questioned, watching his hand move away.

"No…"

"Exactly."

James looked away from her as she took the jar from his hand and sat it down, "On your knees."

"Captain?" He looked up her with his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She pulled him down and he dropped to his knees in front of her. Before he could even give thought to what was going on, she dropped her boot clad foot onto his knee. Knowingly, he grabbed the woman's leg and pulled it closer and started to tighten the straps.

"Mills." Regina looked up to Killian standing in the doorway. He smirked at the boy submissively finishing up her boots. "'Enjoying that, Mr. James?"

He got no reply and Regina leaned forward grabbing him tightly by the ear. All the cold rings on her fingers made the grip even more intense and he bit his lip.

"Answer," Regina hissed.

"Yes, sir," he ground out.

"Good thing. You'll be down there more often than you can imagine." He looked up into Regina's eyes before glancing down to her crotch in the tight leather pants. It was safe to assume she didn't catch that but if she did, she didn't speak on it. She roughly pulled her hand away from his face and leaned back in her seat as he continued his work.

"What is it, Killian?"

"The new lads are ready for instruction. What would you like to do, love?"

"Meaning?"

"One of us is going to have to navigate. Would you like to break them in?"

"I don't have the patience today," she said flexing her fingers. Her first mate immediately noticed the small stain of blood on the back of her hand. He glanced around the room until he spotted the pool of blood gathering in a corner. He nodded his head knowingly. "I've already had my prearranged fix of homicidal tendencies for today. Dealing with them today will leave us with half a crew."

"I understand, Captain. Just navigate us, I'll handle them."

James glanced over the desk to Killian and saw that he was walking towards them. Regina pulled her foot away and almost as if on cue the older man jerked him up from the floor and threw him in the direction of the door. James stumbled and took his leave with Killian calling after him, "Start swabbing the deck!"

"I think you'll have plenty of sorry sacks throw overboard…should your need to release that tension arises."

"Thank you for that," she nodded with a smirk.

"Anything from the compass?" She looked up at him as he sat down on the edge of her desk.

"Which one?" Regina laughed.

"Nothing new has been coming from that moral compass of yours in years so it's safe to assume which one I'm speaking of."

"Point taken," she nodded, tracing the lines of the map splayed out on the surface in front of her. "My compass is blank for now."

"Any idea where the next island is?"

"Yes, but that's not where I'm going."

"Where are we going?"

"I have a bounty to collect," Regina said leaning back in her chair. "Captain Yuri has cheated death four times I believe, he's on the list. The Cove."

"To think some people don't believe you are queen of the damned," Killian laughed. "I'm going to break them. Try to relax."

She nodded at his request before he started to walk himself out. He stopped just short of the door and turned back to her, "Just between you and me, there's a stowaway on board dressed as a lad. I'm sure she'd enjoy it if you snatch her away, promise not to out her, and take her on your silk sheets."

"Jones," Regina warned.

"I'm sure you prefer your desk better I supposed."

"Jones!"

"Just putting it out there. That's all."

"Your point has been made."

"How about she gives you a massage?"

"Get out," the brunette said shaking her head as she went back to her map.

"Aye, Captain," he bowed and closed the doors behind him.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Ruby rolled her eyes at the question and continued to slip into her coat. "It could be dangerous."

"I don't know if Captain Mills has ever mentioned how we first met but I'm far from helpless Mr. Bailey."

"Captain doesn't like you leaving the estate."

"Despite her thoughts, I'm not a little puppy. I was previously an assassin. I think I'll do just fine."

"An assassin, ma'am?" He questioned warily as she opened the front door.

"The first time I met Regina, I tried to kill her because that's what I was ordered to do," Ruby informed smugly as she left out the door, leaving the man stunned and surprise.

Though he was right about her leaving the big house. Regina didn't want her leaving very often but it was fairly boring to be stuck there all the time. So she liked to sneak away and venture out into town, completely ignoring Bailey's wishes for her to stay inside so Regina would strangle them both.

She never anywhere too open but she at least wanted the fresh air. Today wasn't for leisure, even though she wished it was. Some investigating needed to be done on the missing woman. Belle French.

There was just the man to help her especially in the affairs of the British Navy and anyone in relation to it.

After a few minutes of walking Ruby stopped at an alleyway and focused straight ahead down the sidewalk as she spoke, "You look a bit suspicious."

"Well, don't we all look suspicious when a stray black horse walks up with a secret message? A black horse really?" The bearded man spoke, lighting his pipe.

Ruby eyed the smoke that lingered in the air as he stepped out of the shadows of the buildings on either side of him, revealing his navy uniform. His hat was under his arm and his coat thrown over his left shoulder.

"It's the only horse willing to leave the estate on official business like this. Regina taught her horses to be skeptical of any man wearing that," Ruby said gesturing to his uniform.

"It's like stepping on glass with that woman..." He shook his head with a frown.

"Best you and I not be seen together," Ruby sniffed dismissively.

"I'm not that terrible looking am I?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"You're too relaxed. Most wouldn't be so casual about being an informant for a pirate lord."

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, darling. I'm not an informant for Captain Mills. I'm an informant for a former contract killer of the government. Gives me less reason to be concerned." She continued to look unimpressed despite wanting to crack a smile. "What is it you need, Lucas?"

"Information."

"I'm an open book."

"I know you are, Graham. I need information on French. Maurice French. His daughter was taken by pirates."

"I've heard."

"He came looking for Regina's help in finding her," Ruby said walking up to him. "I knew she'd take the job but she won't be back for weeks, so I'm looking for a rather useful start to this search."

"What kind of information are you looking for?" Graham questioned skeptically.

"Mr. French told me that he went to his superior officers for assistance and they refused him after they heard everything from him. Apparently they had some clues as to who might have taken her but they refused him that information as well."

"Unfortunately, I can't help much there. It's going around about her but it's all speculation. Nothing compact, solid. Although if anything, if someone has mentioned a name…"

"Speak your mind, Graham," Ruby said sensing she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear.

"The disappearance and the Devil's Hangman have been mentioned in the same conversation on more than one occasion." He watched her sigh and nodded his agreement. "Other than that you and I both know there are many pirates that are in the business of trafficking and all the rest wouldn't mind a body to warm their bed until they're uninterested."

"Yes, that's what I was afraid of but why would superior officers keep that a secret?"

"Working for the government doesn't mean you're hands are free of wrong doing. You know that better than anyone."

"I do."

"Ruby," he catching her distant attention. He took the pipe from his mouth and slipped on his hat. "I have some things that can help later on. Meet me round back of the pub. Time I gave you a birthday gift."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another FYI, Hook is in the story. He is an important main character. And I will never bash him in anything I write him in. It is still SwanQueen 100%.
> 
> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of Rape and prostitution, language, and heavy alcohol use, self harm (it's a still a pirate fic)
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Sex (Mild I suppose), Violence
> 
> Beta: Withgirl
> 
> Enjoy

Chatter around the ship fell silent as Regina appeared on deck. At least amongst the newcomers it did. Everyone else, who knew she wasn't as merciless as she seemed, nodded to her she walked by and went back to what they were doing. It took her walking all the way to the helm of the ship where Killian stood to get the rest of them to discontinue their wary stares.

Regina nodded to the quartermaster and looked back to Killian. He was leaning against the wheel and staring aimlessly out ahead of them. She smirked and cleared her throat. He looked to her suddenly and straightened himself up, "Captain."

"I've found you out, Jones," Regina said haughtily.

"I don't know what you mean, love," he said looking everywhere but her.

"You look smitten."

"Do not."

"Share your quarters with the girl stowed away on board?"

"No."

Regina turned and looked around the deck. She glanced back at him and then over to the young man looking in her direction in admiration. She didn't respond to his staring and just turned back to her first mate, "One of the new ones then? A boy?"

A frown appeared on his face and he scrunched up his nose, "No boy, love. It isn't like that. He's only two years younger than myself."

"I stand by what I said. A boy," Regina said in amusement.

"What does that make me?"

"A…boy."

"Funny, Captain Mills. Although I suppose even the oldest men on his ship would still be boys to you considering how long you've been treading these waters."

Regina rolled her eyes and changed the subject from her age, "First love?"

His previous frown appeared, deeper than before, and shook his head, "I'm not smitten. And my first love happens to be this ship."

"Really?"

"Yes. I wanted to become a sailor from hearing your tales. Only a few years before I joined ship did I actually want to be a pirate specifically."

"Interesting…"

"And you, Captain?" she looked at him in confusion. "Your first love?"

"Dead and buried and not something I'm going talk about."

"Oh come on, love."

"Not today, Jones," Regina sighed.

"Not today? I'll remember that."

"I'm sure you will." He glared at her. "Now…how far are we?"

"Yuri's ship is a few hours' worth of sailing away. What exactly is the plan there? Ready the cannons?"

"No. He's a slaver. There will be masses of women and girls below deck. We dock the ship when we find."

"What do you suppose we do with all them?"

"I haven't gotten that far yet."

"We don't save people, Mills."

"I didn't say we were saving anyone. My issues lie with the Captain of the ship nothing else."

"Understood," Killian nodded going back to the wheel. He glanced at her sympathetically seeing her rub at her temples. "Maybe you should go back to your quarters and rest. Or maybe throwing someone overboard would relieve your head pain?"

"You must really have someone you'd like left to the mercy of the sea."

"No one in particular. I just enjoy the show."

"I see. Perhaps I'll consider it," she said retreating back to her quarters. She walked through the guarded doors and closed them behind herself. For a moment she rested her head against the door as she took a breath but suddenly bristled at the presence behind her. Regina turned around swiftly and her brow creased at the person seated on her bed.

"What are you doing in here?" She questioned tersely.

"Jones said you'd be interested in a trade, Captain."

"Trading what?"

"You need to relax and I need a small indulgence. I figured since you don't mind having women in your bed, it'd be a fair trade," the younger woman said walking up to Regina and gently pushing a glass into her hand. Regina took it without protest and pulled the glass up to her lips.

She hesitantly tilted the glass, eyeing the woman as she did. "I know better to try and poison you, Captain Mills. I know your story. I'd just be shortening my life by attempting to harm you."

Regina still looked at her suspiciously and in turn she took it away from her hands. The older woman watched her drink it, keeping her eyes trained on her the entire time until she finished it, dropping the glass on her desk.

The blonde pulled her over to the bed, pushing her down by the shoulders. Warm fingers ran the length of the pirate's jaw and she straddled her lap. Regina leaned back on her hands in response, curious of what she had to offer.

The younger woman grabbed her biceps and squeezed lightly, testing the stout muscle underneath her shirt. Regina watched the hands with untrusting eyes as soft lips pressed against her neck. Her belt was unbuckled at her waist and slipped from around her hips. Another kiss tingled her skin behind her ear. Her coat was pushed from her shoulders and fell onto the bed behind them. Her vest then followed.

"The seas are restless when you're…edgy." Her hand gripped the brunette's chin and their lips connected. Regina leaned into it, placing her hands against the woman's thighs. Only for a moment did she allow herself to fall into it before turning her head away. "Thea."

Regina nodded quietly looking up into her blue eyes. Truthfully she had been hopeful about this. Someone out there could save her from her curse and sometimes she hoped that whoever she took to be could make that happen. Even if she didn't love them, she'd be grateful just for that. She'd be willing to even settle for them if that were to happen.

Although this time she felt no change, as always and pulled her hands away. Thea grabbed her wrists and moved her hands to her breasts, ducking her head to kiss her again, "Undress me."

Taking the encouragement, Regina pulled the shirt from her shoulders. The neck was wide enough to slip down her shoulders and bunch up at her waist. She accepted another kiss from the blonde as the tips of her first two fingers traced the valley of her breasts.

"Relax, Captain," Thea instructed, loosening her pants and slipping her hand inside. She rested her free palm against the flushed skin of her cheek, "I make love to you and you make me a pirate, my Queen. Is that okay?"

Regina nodded and arched forward slightly at the slender fingers gently making their way passed her entrance. The blonde watched curiously as hands grabbed her sides lightly and she shivered under the cold of the rings on the woman's fingers. Thea gripped her shoulder, releasing a low moan as Regina pushed her mouth onto her chest to suppress a much needed moan as she pressed her lips to the dark mane falling down the pirate's shoulders.

"Permission to…enjoy this fully, Captain?"

The brunette unlatched herself and let her hands explore the bare torso in front of her, "Permission granted."

"As loudly as I like?"

"Yes."

"Do I get to hear you, too…Regina?" Thea smirked into her ear, feeling the brunette buck against her fingers, urging her to go deeper. She pulled out some and received a strangled cross between a whimper and a groan. The blonde smiled down at her and Regina was caught off guard by gentle expression and the pair of lips on hers.

Before she could think to reciprocate, she was pushed back onto the bed. Without question she laid back and looked above her at deep blue-green eyes over her. She panted heavily at the restricted thrusts inside her pants. Thea pushed her shirt up her torso, kissing at her stomach before tugging the pants down her to the middle of her thighs. Regina shifted in arousal and the blonde pressed her hand to her chest.

"Calm, Captain. I'll get you there."

The disappointment of not having felt any change in her chest or even her mind weighted down on her but faded into the background and she closed her eyes.

* * *

_"Can I buy you a drink, Your Majesty?" a voice asked._

_Regina turned around from the bar and looked to the young brunette woman. She had a bright smile and her eyes the purest form of green she'd ever seen. Her first thought was obviously how beautiful she was but then she narrowed her eyes. The thought that followed questioned why a beautiful young girl was in a dive like this…in a pirate port._

_"I already have a drink," Regina said gesturing to the pint in front of her._

_"Everyone knows you can drink all night," the younger woman said sitting down next to her. "I'll even drink some of it before you do if you think I'll try to poison you."_

_"If I was concerned about that I wouldn't want any toxins to slip from you lips and into my drink. You can buy me a drink."_

_"I won't touch it. So…am I going to be calling you Captain all night?"_

_"Regina."_

_"Ruby Lucas," she replied putting her hands out to shake. Regina took her hand with a firm grip. "Nice to finally meet you in person. I'm a big fan."_

_"Of?"_

_"You. Your ship. It's hard not to admire someone deemed the Queen of the Pirates."_

_"I believe the term is 'damned'." Regina sighed into her drink._

_"I'm still a fan either way."_

_"Is there something I can do for you, Miss Lucas?"_

_"I'm just here to buy a beautiful woman a drink. Is that a crime?"_

_"It might be…"_

_"Lighten up a little, Captain. Although I suppose we could cut this short and go someplace quiet…alone."_

_Regina glanced down at the hand rubbing her thigh and then back up to Ruby giving her an innocent smile. She grabbed her hand and held it tight, "Is that what you want?"_

_Ruby_ _pulled her hand away and placed it on her side just below her breast and edged her finger upward, "Of course, I do…but only if that's what you really want, Regina." Regina watched her hand drop back down to her inner thigh, fingers getting dangerously close to the apex of her legs. "Do you want me to help you relax? Release this buildup of painful tension? It's been a while hasn't it?"_

_"I-"_

_Ruby_ _leaned over and kissed her lips, not giving her a chance to respond. She internally smirked feeling the older woman begin to give into it. She pulled away and was surprised to find a hint of a pout on her face, "Your Majesty, you look a bit flushed…come to bed. I can get you that drink another time."_

_Regina nodded stiffly and let herself be pulled along by the younger woman. She expected to be taken wherever the closest bed was but was stunned when she turned around and asked, "Where do you live, Captain?"_

_"There," Regina said reluctantly pointing to the north of where they stood._

_"Show me around then…" Ruby said with smile._

_After only a few minutes they were inside the big house. It was quiet as every servant and guard was asleep, per Regina's orders. So they made their way to the older woman's room without interruption and before long the younger brunette had the pirate's pants tossed to the floor and found herself pinned under Regina._

_"I'm guessing this means you want to go first," Ruby said amusingly as Regina eagerly pulled away her clothes. She smirked confidently despite being completely naked and at the woman's mercy. Although she couldn't be bothered to care seeing the light brown eyes deepen into black, shiny with lust stronger than she knew was possible. She pulled the warm body down on top of hers and kissed her deeply until Regina pulled away and shifted down her body._

_Another comment popped into her head and she thought to say it but was interrupted by pleasant sensation that travelled up her spine. It happened again and she looked down to the beautiful pirate positioned between her legs not even giving warning before she started. Her hands tangled in dark locks and she tightened her legs around Regina's shoulders as she stifled a groan._

_"Oh…" Ruby chuckled. "This is going to be a long night."_

_More than four hours of passion passed by before Ruby woke up in bed from a fairly wonderful post- coital sleep. She glanced over to the brunette beside her turned on her stomach and fast asleep. She put a hand on Regina's back and grazed her fingers over the scars that marred her back._

_There were dozens of them and she frowned. The sight of the wound on her chest flashed through her mind. It looked new. She moved her hand to the brown locks and shifted them over to reveal the side of Regina's face. It seemed the woman never looked peaceful even in her sleep._

_She got up from the bed and quietly stepped over the thrown clothes on the floor. Green eyes drifted back to the woman on the bed and she sighed to herself._

_"You're making me regret this," Ruby muttered to herself, stepping up to the far wall where a display of swords were mounted. Without hesitation she reached for it only stopping to roll her shoulder out of its stiffness. She took the closest one into her hands and turned with her back to the bed._

_Ruby_ _unsheathed the sword and sighed. Orders were orders and she never disobeyed. Normally, she never had any doubts but it was fairly obvious she wasn't going to do much harm to the older woman. Unfortunately, she was told to find a way or don't come back. It didn't sound as terrible as it had a few days ago. She could desert her position and board the Devil's Hangman. Maybe spend her nights with the captain._

_Before she could even make a final decision, she felt cold metal pressed against the back of her neck._

_"You came here to kill me?" Regina scoffed. "This is what you were here for…"_

_"It's not what you think, Regina."_

_"Then what is it?"_

_Ruby turned around quickly, batting away the gun, "I'm a contract killer for the government. Yes, I walked up to you with the intention to kill you…but I can't right?"_

_"No," Regina snapped._

_"I figured. Your scars…" Ruby shook her head to herself. "I wasn't going kill you."_

_"You just up and changed your mind?"_

_"Well…when I first saw you. Looked in your eyes, I knew I was stepping into a trap. I am a big fan. I do think very highly of you and yes I took this job but things change when you're staring right at the person you're meant to murder. I felt something."_

_"Felt something?"_

_"I thought you were the one but…" Regina looked at her curiously and tilted her head. Ruby leaned forward and captured her lips and pulled away shortly after. She shook her head with a humorless laugh. "You're not the one but…I don't want to kill you."_

_"Can't say the same," Regina said flatly._

_"I'll go," Ruby nodded pushing the sword back in its place. "I don't regret staying the night, Captain."_

_Regina's face stayed stoic, folding her arms across her chest as she stood there in her pants and a loose shirt. Ruby glanced up at her while she grabbed her clothes and wondered how she managed to get into some clothes without hearing a thing._

_The younger woman was halfway out the door of the big bedroom when she heard footsteps following her. She turned around to Regina uncertainly pondering something._

_"Still thinking about killing me?"_

_The older woman stayed quiet for moment before reluctantly saying, "Being a pirate lord isn't easy. I need to have my guards trained properly. As far as I know they don't even know how to hold a sword…they look intimidating enough though…"_

_"I'm not following."_

_"Just…" Regina huffed in frustration. "…come back to my chambers for the night. We'll discuss you becoming my personal guard tomorrow."_

_"Aye aye captain," Ruby grinned and followed her back to bed smugly._

* * *

Thea smiled watching the older woman begin to wake up. She sat at the foot of the bed, with her legs crossed watching Regina as she slept. She wasn't going to say it out loud but despite the frown on her face even as she slept, the captain looked fairly adorable in her sleep. But no way was she telling her that.

Regina pushed up on her elbows and squinted at the figure in front of her with bleary eyes. Thea grinned harder watching her rub her eyes and yawn but forced it away when the brunette turned back to her. Instantly, Regina narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing," Thea replied shrugging her shoulders.

"You're staring."

"Is it really surprising that I want to stare at someone like you?"

"Someone like me?" Regina questioned with a raised eyebrow as she lightly put her feet to the floor.

"A very attractive, exotic woman. You're not from England..."

"I don't like to be stared at."

"Sure you don't," the blonde snorted inciting a glare in her direction. "The way you appear out of nowhere or just walk into a room suggests you like the attention at least a little."

"I think you should leave now," Regina said dismissively.

"Okay," the younger woman said. "I had fun. Especially since you stayed the morning after, which never happens."

"Because it's my quarters…and it's the evening."

"Right…" Thea snickered pulling on her pants. "You cuddle in your sleep you know…"

"Thank you for letting me know that."

"It's okay. I won't spill your secret…as long as you hold up your end of the deal."

"Deal?"

"Our trade, Captain. You have to make me a pirate now."

Regina bowed her head in understanding as Thea fixed herself up, tucking her shirt messily into her pants. The brunette stood up and stretched out her limbs before moving to find some clothes.

"Captain!" Killian shouted bursting into the room. Thea jumped and bumped into the desk knocking over the jar of ink onto surface. Regina grimaced at her and she shifted nervously expecting to be punished but when nothing came she quickly said, "I'm sorry. I'll clean it up."

Killian smirked for a moment and then turned back to Regina, seriously. He faltered slightly at her state of undress. His eyes shot down to the floorboards, "We're at the Cove."

"Why?" Regina questioned with a frown pulling on the closest thing she could find.

"Your compass led us here. So here we are…and guess who's docked at the port?"

"You…" Regina said looking to Thea. The blonde frowned for a moment until it came to her what that meant.

"Theo, Captain."

"Theo go with Jones."

Killian nodded and left out with Thea following behind.

"The ship looks deserted…" Killian informed looking through his eyeglass. "May very well be getting fat off rum and sour dough."

"Fat and sluggish just makes it easier for me," Regina sighed polishing her pistol.

"You know I'd liked to see that, love," he laughed. "Are we ready to invade?"

"I think it should be a learning experience…two of the new ones."

"Aye Captain Mills." Nodding, he turned to the rest of the ship, leaning against the smooth wooden railing. "All hands on deck! Especially the new ones."

After a minute of shuffling and scrambling everyone was standing on the deck looking up to Regina and Killian. They both surveyed the curious looks of their new recruits and while Regina looked for two that were suitable enough to accompany them to confront Captain Yuri, Killian was eyeing one of them in particular. As soon as the older woman caught him staring, she cleared her throat.

"Yes…mates a somewhat dangerous…and rather bloody mission awaits us just on the surface. Due to the number of new crew members, it's Hangman policy for two if not more of you to follow the captain into peril and unexpected death. Any volunteers before I drag two of you by your ears off this ship?"

Amongst all of the crew that hadn't been there before they had docked, murmurs erupted and quickly fell to silence. Killian raised an eyebrow exchanging a glanced with Regina who was quickly losing her patience. Just as he was about to pick out two himself someone stepped forward from the nervous line of young men.

He stood tall, chest out and eyes looking defiantly at Regina.

"Well, done Mr. Neal," Killian said.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Captain," Neal said confidently. Regina nodded to him and he had to hold back his smile at the approval he received. Although it didn't take much to distract him from it as he felt eyes staring into the side of his face. He turned to a pair of harsh eyes as its owner stepped forward as well.

Killian rolled his eyes with a distasteful look on his face. He leaned over to Regina whispered, "Why couldn't you have thrown him off the ship?"

"Jones," Regina warned with an amused grin threatening to break out on her face. She bit her lip as he sighed exasperatedly.

"Mr. James…"

"Anything you ask, Your Majesty, I will obey," he answered looking at Regina with narrowed eyes.

"Right then…off the ship."

The pair nodded and made their way to the docks as Regina and Killian slowly followed from up top.

"You and James don't seem to be getting along, Jones."

"He'll get himself killed with that bloody arrogant attitude of his."

"I might make him a decent pirate."

"You like him?" Killian questioned in surprise as they left the ship behind with the crew scurrying to the sides to get a look at what was about to happen with their captain.

"I tolerate him. Besides if he doesn't shape up, I will throw him overboard."

"That's what I like to hear."

Regina rolled her eyes and was about to reply to him until she heard a laugh that echoed around them. Her amused expression fell away being reminded of why she was here. Her left hand turned into a fist and she surged forward spotting her target after only a second's movement. Killian and the two accompanying them followed after her.

"Yuri!" Regina growled and the man turned around swiftly in time to see the older woman standing right in front of him holding her pistol to his head.

They were caught in a standoff almost immediately. Killian drew two guns pointing them at two of the men supposedly guarding the other captain. Neal and James stood confidently with their weapons drawn as well. James smirked at the pirate before him while Neal looked a little less smug and confidently. He'd never fired a gun before.

"Your Majesty. What a pleasure…" Yuri drawled, watching the pistol between his eyes.

"You're going to die today. It will be a great pleasure."

"You may be Queen but a trial isn't beneath you if you kill a pirate lord," he sneered.

Regina's smirked sent a chill down his spine and he visibly swallowed, "Well if I'm going to do something wrong, I'm going to enjoy it. The punishment doesn't matter to me, Yuri. I'm immortal."

"Regina!...Regina!"

The older woman turned her head to see a figure followed by others rushing in their direction. When they came into view Regina sighed and pressed the barrel of her gun deeper into the man's forehead. Her grip didn't lighten up even as more guns were pointed her way.

"You may be immortal but your men aren't."

"Regina put the gun down," the new voice demanded. Regina turned her head and grimaced at the person.

"Colter...living, breathing coward in the flesh," Killian mocked. "Shocking someone hasn't done you in…yet."

"Daniel," Regina acknowledged shortly.

"Regina put the gun down," he warned, holding his hand out against his men.

"It's my job."

"You don't have to do this," Daniel said pleadingly. "You have a choice."

"Choice," the older woman scoffed, shaking her head.

"You're better than this, Captain Mills. You know it. Don't make me regret this."

He watched her think about it before she turned to Killian and gave a single nod. Her first mate looked at her in disbelief but followed his give orders and dropped his guns. Neal and James followed suit. Regina sucked in a breath, twisting the gun around her finger, the heavy pistol's barrel now facing herself as she relinquished her prized firearm. Daniel took it from her hands, playing off the obvious underestimation he made about the gun's weight. He looked down at it with a frown.

"Weight of a thousand damned souls." He looked up to her and thought about the implications of her words. "Yes, Queen of the Damned is an accurate title. I just don't prefer it."

"Thank you. This could've ended badly."

"For you mate," Killian sneered.

"Watch it Jones…amazing you're still here."

"Because I was loyal. Unlike you, you sniveling rat."

"Jones, that's enough," Regina said raising her voice against the two men.

Yuri chuckled at them, "Lover's quarrel I see. Would like to give me a show, Your Majesty?" He reached out and put a hand to waist. Regina was instantly reminded of what she was there to do. Without warning she knocked away his rough hand and snagged his wrist.

He hissed in pain and guns all around pointed to her. Though no one pulled the trigger as she grabbed him tightly by the ears and pulled him flush against her. Her eyes glazed over to an alarming red and she opened her mouth just in front of his. A fluorescent blue escaped his mouth and streamed into Regina's. Yuri began to make a pained choking sound.

"Regina!" Daniel shouted, though no one moved to stop her.

Yuri's face began to turn red and his eyes bulged staring into hers in pain and fear until he fell limp in her hands, the blue fading away and his body turning to ashes. She wiped off her hands on her vest and sighed in relief as some of the tension in her body disappeared.

The members of his crew fled instantly and Daniel looked to the pile of ashes and the woman standing above them in shock and slight horror.

"What – What have you done?" he questioned.

"Seems the Neema will need a new captain," Regina said, ignoring his question.

"Dammit Regina," Daniel said in frustration as she snatched back her gun. Killian and the others took the opportunity to do the same, holstering them just as she did. "I keep giving you chances. Why won't you take them?!"

"Something you have never understood was that I don't have a choice. Give all the chances you like but that won't change a thing. The Devil's Hangman is my ship. I am a servant of the demon of the sea and you think I have a choice?"

"I-"

"The next time we meet again, if I hear you say anything about choices or chances I will add you to the list of damned souls I must take from this world," she said ending the conversation with a haunting finality. She turned on her heel and walked away before anything else could be said.

Killian walked up to him and jammed a finger in his face, "You fucking piece of shit…I see you again and I'll end you myself. You disparage her and you don't have the room to lay word to her. You're a coward and you're a disloyal slime."

"Killian," Daniel sighed.

"I don't want to hear a bloody word from your mouth mate," he said walking away as well.

Daniel sighed and looked to the pile of ashes that was the former captain and then up to James and Neal who gave him scowls despite not knowing why he was disliked so much by their superiors. But they didn't speak a word and silently followed the older man back to the ship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of Rape and prostitution, language, heavy alcohol use, self harm (still a pirate story)
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Violence, possibly torture, Character Death, and Cora Mills for those of you who need a warning for her
> 
> Beta: Withgirl
> 
> No, Thea is not Emma. Very close though.
> 
> Enjoy.

Regina shrugged her off and Thea reached out to grab the woman back. Her confidence had soared after having the captain come up to her and request her presence so her hesitance to grab her was long gone.

Now they sat in the pirate's quarters, on her bed attempting to relieve the frustration and tension flowing freely through Regina's body. Although this time they'd decided to leave the sex for another time but that didn't necessarily stop the younger woman from groping the brunette's chest every so often in hopes that arousal would led to at least some foreplay and calm the woman down.

The lack fidgeting suggested it wasn't working so she settled to continue to knead the layers of knots in her shoulders. That seemed to work better than her other attempts. Curiously she dropped her left hand, continuing the massage with her right, and rubbed at the older woman's side under her shirt. She waited for refusal and when none came she moved her hand down to the hem of her pants. Her fingers made it halfway before Regina grabbed her wrist and held on tight.

"Okay…alright. I get it," Thea said pulling her hand away, jerking it out of the vice grip. "What's the point in me being here if we're not going to have sex? What are we…friends now?"

Regina huffed in response and the blonde rolled her eyes. She brought her hand up to go back to massaging the strong shoulders.

She thought smugly about their night together figuring it must have made a good impression considering the position they were in now. They sat at the edge of the bed with Regina seated between her legs. Something told her she was probably the first person to be invited back into her bed a second time.

"You don't talk as much as I thought you would," Thea said out loud. "I didn't expect you to ramble on about things but you say no more than a few words every half hour or so."

"Nothing to talk about," Regina muttered.

"Okay. Fine. Well I'll talk." Regina didn't respond and she grinned lightly. "My parents are somewhere drinking with the French. My sister went missing three years ago. I had a burial for her just a month or so ago. Just myself. I don't know if she's dead but I just felt like it was time to let go. I'm on this ship posing as a man because I…well I don't know. I want to belong somewhere even if I'm just swabbing the deck every day for the rest of my life."

"I think you've upgraded yourself beyond swabbing decks," the brunette replied.

Thea laughed and said, "Well you do have a sense of humor at least."

"Live as long as I have...you'll need it."

"I've always wanted to be a pirate."

"I did, too."

"Did? What changed? Your curse?"

"Yes. It made me monster."

* * *

"Confrontation," a voice said. Daniel rolled his eyes and knocked back his drink, gesturing for another one. He turned to Graham seated beside him and grimaced. "Humiliation…damnation."

"Is there a point in this rhyming you're doing?"

"All the things that will come to you soon enough," Graham said placing his hat down on the counter. He gestured for a drink before turning back to him. "You should leave that woman alone."

"So you heard?"

"Everybody has heard, Colter. Her fury is heard round the world. And if that wasn't the case, I'd still know something was bothering Her Majesty considering the violent storms that have been raging ever since. Why did you do that?"

"I gave her a choice. She didn't have to kill him. She still did it anyway." Graham laughed at him and Daniel instantly frowned, "What?"

"You may be too far gone. Regina Mills doesn't have a choice. You sailed with her, shouldn't you know the story?"

"Yes, I know the story...enough of it at least."

"Apparently not enough."

"I abandoned her and the ship," he admitted.

"I'm aware."

"My mother taught me to stay far away from women like that and I went and fell for her anyway. I loved her and protected her. You know what she did?" Daniel laughed bitterly. "She pushed me away. She admitted to needing someone to love her and when I did she gave me this look of hatred. She wanted me to leave so I did."

"At the wrong time apparently."

"Treasure hunt in the jungles of her native country. I didn't return."

"…leaving your dear captain stranded for days in a trap set for a bear until the rest of the crew discovered her."

"I would've gone back had I known."

"You're a coward in that regard. You should know there's no love among pirates."

"That's all she said she wanted!" Daniel shouted back. The tavern went silent and eyes shifted to them. Graham raised an eyebrow at his outburst and the man quickly settled down. "She talked about love..."

"It wasn't about love. It was about breaking her curse." Graham looked to the frown on his face and sighed. "Colter, Regina Mills has never been out searching for love. She's a pirate it's easy to tell her first and only love was the high seas and the adventure it brought. Then she was cursed and then the last thing she really wanted was for some to fall in love with her and spoil her with jewels. The curse is to live forever and do the bidding of the devil until there is a single person willing to love the monster that she is in its entirety. Anyone would strive to have it broken in anyway possible."

"You're saying…"

"I'm saying, she's the devil's pawn and there's nothing anyone can do about that. Not unless they can love the killer in her. The carnal urges that she suffers every hour the day. You didn't then and you don't now, my friend. You've moved on. You're married and with child."

"Humbert," Daniel warned.

"Maybe next time you see her don't be such an ass. Her first mate is vicious. Killian Jones is a force you don't want to mess with."

"Believe me I know," Daniel sighed, knocking back his glass. A knot twisted within his stomach at his name. "Unforgiving and loyal to the Devil's Hangman."

"Surprised he hadn't murdered you then."

"He would believe me, if only for his captain…but there's one unfortunate block in his way."

"What's that?" Graham questioned curiously.

"He's my brother."

"Brother?"

Daniel ignored the surprise and nodded, "Half brothers. Same father. He and I were as thick as thieves but Regina came between us. I fell in love with her and betrayed her and he loved her and that ship...always had. Since he was a boy. They're inseparable. She's fond of him and he adores her."

"Bitterness there?"

"No. I'm happy for him. I'm sure their friendship helps her."

"She's cursed. Nothing's going to help her."

* * *

_Impatiently, Cora hovered over her husband's shoulder watching as he turned the pages in the book he was reading. Her eyes skimmed the pages as he turned them and every word she caught onto was useless to her and she sighed in frustration and began pacing the floor behind him._

_"How did this happen?" she questioned._

_"I don't know," Henry responded, pushing his nose further into the book in his hands._

_"Where did it come from?"_

_"I don't know…Peru...maybe…"_

_"Is it a disease she's caught from these savages?" Cora sneered. Henry glared at her and went back to his reading. "Henry! Answer me."_

_"No. People of my native home are no less cleaner than your own, Cora. Whether you like to recognize it or not, Regina is a pirate. There are consequences that come with that."_

_"What do you suppose is the problem then?" Cora huffed._

_"Cursed gold. Regina touched it and has caught the sickness."_

_"Sickness?" she questioned._

_Instead of explaining, he closed his book and walked her through the hallways of the house. He rolled eyes every time he glanced at the floors. His wife was all about the finer things in life despite willingly marrying a man who appreciated different things. Their cultures were very separated and for a moment it almost seemed as though she was going to accept the ways of the natives but one should never hope too much on the woman._

_Even now after living here half the year, Cora still frowned at the people she had tend to her house. The language barrier annoyed her beyond comprehension and insisted very often that Henry taught them what she considered proper speech. Her husband ignored her requests. He'd made sacrifices for her the least she could've done was learn the tongue of the land. Especially if it had interfered with communicating with their daughter for the first five years of her life._

_Although during that time her focus was more on gaining power, possibly even reigning over the South American borders with her self-established monarchy, than it was on raising her daughter. If anything her only role was attempting to destroy the teachings of the natives to make the seven-year-old into a lady fit for a throne. Though most of it had gotten through to her, some things never left her._

_Especially the pirate tales._

_Cora narrowed her eyes at the sun bathed woman who spoke to her husband. Her short temper wasn't helped by the fact that she couldn't understand the conversations that went on around her. Those between Henry and everyone else really irked her. She had good reason to believe they were saying bad things about her._

_"Henry!" She hissed._

_He glanced at her and then nodded to the woman he had been speaking to. She walked away passing by Cora with her eyes cast to the floor as she murmured something to the woman as she left. It had Cora fuming almost immediately._

_"What did she say?"_

_Henry sighed and gestured to the door to their daughter's former room. His wife stomped passed him and he quietly answered, "Good day."_

_"I should have her fired for those muttering of hers."_

_"It wouldn't hurt to learn to communicate with the people who are here just as much as we are. You wanted this house built here, I thought you'd at least try to."_

_"Shut it, Henry," Cora said dismissively opening the door to the room. She was immediately hit with foreign smells. Exotic scents and colorful smoke filled the room, as well as the pained moans of their daughter. The older woman batted the smoke away and coughed with a frown, instantly stalking to the bed and giving an unsympathetic look to the younger brunette in the bed._

_"You've restrained her?" Cora questioned Henry and he nodded solemnly._

_"It must be done. She's over powered the healers before, we had to."_

_"Tell them to leave."_ _Henry looked to the healers and nodded to them. They seem to understand and bowed out silently, each touching Regina's forehead gently before leaving the room. Cora grimaced again at the exchange of words between them before turning her attention back to the subject of their daughter's condition._ _"What exactly is wrong with her?"_

_"She is very ill," Henry started, walking over and opening a window. The smoke drifted out of the opening and cleared up the air space. Cora glanced down to get a better look at Regina and gasped to herself seeing the thick redness around her eyes and the black veins crawling up her throat. Each breath she took came out as a struggling wheeze. "Her entire crew has perished. The gold was cursed. She will become obsessed with gold until she too dies from it."_

_"Well fix it."_

_"None of the remedies have worked. That's why I insisted you not interrupt my reading."_

_"This is your fault. If you hadn't have planted those stories in her head, then she wouldn't have gotten like this. Pirates and sailing…it's no place for her. She should be a queen. A lady."_

_"Now is not the time, Cora."_

_"This disgusting, distasteful lifestyle of hers must go. First, bedding women and now this…" Cora huffed._

_"Daddy…" Regina rasped weakly. Henry dropped to his knee next to the bed and stroked his thumb across her forehead. The younger brunette strained against the chains around her wrist and glanced over to her mother in a panic._

_"It's alright," he soothed quietly._

_"You have it…"_

_"Have what, C_ oração _?"_

_"Gold…just a piece."_

_"I don't."_

_"Please, Pai. I just need to see it. Please."_

_"I can't," he said sadly. Regina turned her head to the ceiling, straining against the chains again. "You'll be better soon. I promise, Regina."_

_Henry looked up to Cora who stared at them with a blank expression. Before anyone could say anything else, the older woman turned on her heel to leave the room. She roughly brushed passed one of the maids coming in with a bowl of water. She looked to Henry curious and he motioned for her to come over to the bed._

_The house fell silent afterwards. Henry spent hours by Regina's side in attempt to comfort her through her stretches of pain. Though nothing he usually did during her times of illness helpdc. Gold would relieve the pain but it would only progress the sickness, giving them even less time to find a cure. Once he got her to close her eyes and rest again, he whispered a promise to her one last time and went back his study to get back to his research._

_He gave a tight smile to everyone who gave him words of encouragement though it was more than he got from the healers who confessed without hesitance that Regina would soon perish with her crew from the illness and that the only good thing to come of that would be to hope she goes in her sleep. Most would be upset to hear it but this was the way things were at the threat of death. He didn't want her to die but he was taught what he taught his daughter. The ways of their people, one with nature and the creator who protects them. Death wasn't to be feared but accepted._

_Henry believed that to be true but dying wasn't something he was looking for now. Especially not for his daughter._

_He pushed the doors to his study open and froze at the sight of a brewing potion and a big open big over all his things on his desk,_ _"Cora, what are you doing?"_

_"Saving our daughter. Something you are managing to fail at."_

_The man pointed a finger out to the open book and said, "What is that? Where did you get that from?"_

_"In your things, dear," Cora said dismissively. Henry walked over to the desk, fearing what he was going to find. His breath caught in his throat looking down to the opened pages of a summoning spell._

_"What have you done…" he said closing the book and pulling it away from her reach._

_"Henry! Give me that book."_

_"No, this is not the way to save her!"_

_"It is a way. I will get what I want and be done with it."_

_"There's no being done with this demon."_

_Cora stalked towards him with the intention of taking the book back until the potion she was brewing started to spew black bubbles of tar. They both turned to it. Cora was optimistic about her plan and Henry looked fearful. He was terrified of what could come from inside that book. Nothing good ever came from dark magic like this._

_"Please say you didn't get to finish…"_

_His wife turned to him with a triumphant smirk and his heart sank. There was no way this would end well. Suddenly the strong winds and black smoke shot out from it engulfing them. Henry dropped the book in shock and shielded himself from the strong powers invading the room. They waited anxiously for it to stop but once it did, only one of them seemed to hate that it did._

_"No," Henry gasped pulling his hands away from his face. They were surrounded by a body of water, standing on the deck of a ship. The surface was covered in blood. "Cora…"_

_"No need to panic…"_

_Henry and Cora turned around to a man with a smile so sinister it was almost depressing to look at. He walked forward to them holding a cane in one hand. Henry stood in front of his wife to shield her from the mysterious person but Cora just shoved him aside and straightened her dress. She walked up to him and Henry just stood in shock wondering how is it that she wasn't even a little bit fearful of this demon she had summoned._

_"Cora Mills," she said putting her hand out to shake. He took her hand kissed her knuckles before glancing over to Henry. Cora glanced over her shoulder and scoffed, "That's just my husband, Henry. He won't be involved here."_

_"Cora," Henry hissed, keeping his distance from the other two._

_"You're safe here so long as we both come out of here with something we want…and I see you come to make a deal."_

_"No, deals."_

_"Hush Henry," Cora snapped and turned back to the man. "Yes, we're here to make a deal."_

_"I'm listening."_

_"Our daughter is deathly ill and we need her to be cured."_

_"And what exactly is this disease?"_

_"She's delusional almost…" Henry explained. "The…the gold…"_

_"Ah, yes…the Dragon Sickness. It's a terrible thing to be cursed with. Unfortunately, really. There is no cure."_

_"There must be something you can do. You're…whatever you are, you can fix it. I know you can," Cora insisted._

_"You are right," the man said. "I can restore her to full health. If you really want to save her that is."_

_"Of course we do." Henry didn't look as confident about this as his wife but he was being ignored anyway._

_"Well if that's what you really want," he said and waved his hand conjuring a piece of parchment in front of Cora. He leaned forward and handed her the quill. Henry searched the document over not able to see a single word and he knew surely that it was the other man's doing._

_Cora moved to sign the bottom but Henry stopped her, "Cora don't do this. You could be signing away everything, including Regina. Don't make a deal with the devil."_

_The older woman hesitated at his words._

_"You'll want to make this deal if you want her to live. I could cure her and I can make her even better than she was."_

_"Better?" Cora questioning, taking the bait._

_"There's nothing wrong with who she is now," Henry sneered._

_"Henry have you lost your mind? She's a pirate for god sakes. This is what got her into this mess. Not to mention these homosexual tendencies. She can be better."_

_"Like a…Queen?" They both looked away to the third person amongst them._

_"Queen?" Cora asked with a smile overcoming her face as her husband paled at her response._

_"I won't sign it," Henry said defiantly._

_"Fortunately, I only need one signature."_

_He shook his head at her and watched helplessly as the woman quickly moved to sign her name on the line. As she finished off the s the contract disappeared as well as the quill. Not a word could be said after as the same black smoke consumed them again._

_Shortly, they reappeared back in his study and he advanced on his wife. He grabbed her arms and looked at her intensely with hurt in his eyes, "How could you do this? We could've found another way."_

_"When she was already dead?"_

_"Cora, she was fine how she was. She's your child…where's your heart?" He instantly regretted the last part. He dreaded to know the response but there was no time to hear as a scream ripped through the house. "Regina."_

_Henry was the first one out of the room running towards his daughter's screams. It didn't take much to notice the house was now completely empty. However concerning that was, his priority was Regina._

_They burst into the room finding the younger brunette struggling against a new form of restraints. She screamed in agony as to demonic black figures with red eyes held down her arms and the same man from on the ship. Henry rushed forward recoiling at the barrier preventing him from going any closer to the bed._

_The demon straddled her hips and firmly had a hand wrapped around her neck with a jagged knife and before anyone could think to stop him, the object was driven into her chest causing an even more painful cry to shatter the air around them._

_"No!" Henry shouted watching him drag the blade around, widening the wound and causing her more pain. Then he sunk his hand into her chest, squeezing his fingers around her heart. Regina screamed out again before becoming completely still. Her eyes glazed over and the look of pain faded to blankness. "Regina!"_

_In a last, desperate attempt to get to his unmoving daughter, the older man pulled his pistol and shot at them until the chamber was empty. The bullets only passed through them._

_"You know my name, Mr. Mills?" he asked mockingly. He didn't wait for a response. "The last name you'll ever hear…It's Gold."_

_Cora and Henry frowned at the name but only in a matter of seconds, Gold had pulled his hand out of their daughter's chest. With a flick of his wrist, a crack sounded in the room leaving Henry to drop to the floor._

_Dead._

_It left his wife speechless, her hands shaking as she dropped down in front of him. One of the very few times she had shown any emotion towards the small family she had, this was a moment she wouldn't forget. That heart he'd asked about beat with agony upon realizing the gravity of what she'd done._

_She looked to Henry's dead body and then over to Regina's stiff form before her eyes fell upon the cruel smirk on Gold's face. He tipped his head to her and said, "A deal's a deal." Then they vanished in a cloud of smoke, taking Regina along with them._

* * *

_Her eyes opened to the deck of a ship. She knew them very well…too well in fact. But it was none she had ever seen before._

_Regina pushed herself up from the surface beneath her tired body, hissing sharply at the intense pain in her left shoulder. She gasped softly, tears stinging her eyes as she sat up. Instantly, her hand went up to brace her shoulder as she stifled the cries that wanted to escape her._

_"Awake I see," a voice said and she looked up to the older man standing ahead of her._

_She immediately forgot her pain and narrowed her eyes at him, "Who the hell are you?"_

_"I'm the Devil, dearie."_

_"Why am I here?" Regina questioned._

_"Well, let's see where do we start…you went after gold that was not yours to take." Regina looked at him in confusion. Her memories of everything up until she woke up were muddled if not fully missing. Her brow creased in concentration to try and grasp at the flashes dancing around her head but nothing stuck for too long. "You were cursed with the Dragon Sickness and your parents wanted to save you."_

_"And they didn't…"_

_"Oh no. You're alive, dearie."_

_"Dragon Sickness isn't-"_

_"Curable. I'm very aware of that. But as the Devil, I can do whatever I wish and your mother wanted that power."_

_"What are you saying?"_

_"Your mother decided that finding any other way was a waste of time and with a few looks around your father's study, she found herself with a spell to talk to dear old me. She wanted you to live and I promised her that you'd live and you'd even be queen. At that word she couldn't sign your life away to me any faster."_

_"She…"_

_"Saved you sure but that kind of thing comes with a price," Gold said. "This ship is your new home. In fact, it's more than that you and this ship are bound in your blood."_

_When Regina didn't seem to understand, he decided a demonstration would to better for her fuzzy mind. He unsheathed his sword and walked over to the side of the ship. The sword was raised above his head and brought down onto the wood. Regina gasped at the burning above her lip and touched it, feeling the blood dripping from the deep wound and down her chin._

_She wanted to yell at him for all the pain she was being caused but instead she questioned their location as her eyes wondered over the sky above them. Her face instantly fell into a frown. The sun was setting above them not on the horizon. The sky was upside down and there was more sand than there was water. The ship was even sitting in sand and trees were planted in the water as if it were natural for them to be there._

_"Where are we?"_

_"Well you mortals' definition of hell I suppose. This is my domain."_

_"No one is here," Regina pointed out giving her shoulder pressure in a weak attempt to relieve herself of the pain._

_"There are several places in hell. This is my happy place. But that's not really your concern." He came over and stood in front of her. "Because of your mother's contract you are now mine to control. That means you must sail the sea forever cursed for all of eternity…unless you can find someone to love you. A monster…"_

_"What…"_

_"Your urges to maim and murder…constant need for sexual entertainment. Queen of the Damned. That's who you'll be." He handed her a pistol and she took it reluctantly, too tired to protest. The weight of it caused her arm to drop to the deck and instead of trying to pick it up again, she pulling into her lap. "You'll be the pirates of all pirates. That is what your mother wanted…for you to rule. To be Queen."_

_He waved his hand and pile of clothes appeared in front of her. She looked up to him found herself too weak to move anything other than her hand._

_"Get dressed. You and the Hangman need to make an appearance and I'm all for big, dramatic entrances dearie."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of rape and prostitution, language, heavy alcohol use, self harm (still a pirate story)
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Violence and minor character deaths (no one important)
> 
> Beta: Withgirl
> 
> Enter Emma.
> 
> Enjoy.

Regina shot up from her feather pillows drenched in sweat, her chest heaving painfully. Instinctively, her hand shot up to her chest under her shirt and she relaxed slightly at the feel of the wound not being as fresh as it was that first day.

"That must have been intense," Thea said startling the older woman.

"What are you doing here?" Regina questioned defensively.

"You invited me to your quarters so I stayed. You were struggling in your sleep. I wanted to make sure you were okay," the blonde said sheepishly.

"Why didn't you just wake me?"

"Well…I tried…" As she spoke that's why Regina noticed the red mark across her face. The brunette frowned down into her lap and then met eyes with the younger woman. She closed her hand into a fist and Thea eyed her cautiously. Regina could feel the stinging still on her hand like she'd just slapped her. "I couldn't wake you up."

"My apologies. I should've warned you about my behavior."

"It's fine. I was just worried about you. I can see things haunt you."

"It's nothing," Regina dismissed, turning her back to her.

"I know you're not looking for any friends but if you ever want to talk about anything, I wouldn't mind listening. Won't even talk if you don't want me to." Regina nodded silently glancing over to the dark outside the window. She stood up and rubbed at her chest finally realizing she wasn't wearing pants…once again. Her eyes darted over to Thea who looked down to her bare legs and blushed under her gaze. "You did more pleasurable things in your sleep other than slap me."

"Meaning?"

"Nothing..." Thea sighed at the narrowed stare she received, "Okay fine. If your pants are off and I'm a little sore, I think you know what happened. Your sleep personality is very demanding, I was sure you didn't even know I was here. Although obviously it didn't do much for you in your sleep."

"I…grabbed you, didn't I?" She asked with a sigh of annoyance.

"I liked it, don't worry. You do have quite the appetite though."

"It's part of my curse," Regina muttered, grabbing her discarded leather and pulling them on as she walked to the doors of her quarters. Before she left she glanced to Thea looking at her expectantly and said, "You may sleep here tonight if you wish as an apology."

"Thank you, Captain and I accept your apology," the blonde grinned but stood up from the bed. "But I think I should spend the night on my cot for once. Don't want the boys thinking I'm getting special treatment."

"Too late for that isn't it?"

"Well, I'm sure they think I'm letting you have your way with me." Thea smirked and Regina internally cringed at the statement.

Thea walked out, giving her a gentle smile hoping the older woman would begin to consider being friends. Regina watched her go before glancing toward the two men guarding her door. They were smirking, having known Theo was actually a woman, and Regina grimaced at them as she walked up to the helm. She ignored their snickers in the background.

Killian was snoring loudly, laying against the side of the ship. Regina shook her head at him and walked over to his slumbering body. He let out a louder snore and she nudged him with her boot. He only moved his head to the side and she chuckled to herself, nudging him a little rougher.

"Huh…wha…" He opened his eyes and squinted up at Regina standing over him. He flashed her a lazy grin and said, "Hello, Captain. How can I be of service?"

"Why aren't you asleep in your quarters?"

He wiped the drool from the side of his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up to her, "I'm steering, love."

"The dried dribble on your cheek says otherwise…" Regina began to drawl. He started to protest as he always did, knowing she liked a challenge to keep her from being gray. He frowned at her distant eyes and he turned his body around to find out what had her in a trance.

They both squinted at the dark outline of what was obviously a ship in the distance. Regina grabbed her spyglass and looked out to the water. Her brow creased in confusion and curiosity, as well as a little suspicion.

"What is it?"

"A ship," Regina slowly handed it over to him.

"Any ship within a mile of Pirate Cove is always loud and sozzled…except for us that is." Regina glanced over to the other ships actually docked in the port and cheering and drunk singing were echoing out of most of them and if it wasn't it was clear that they'd move their celebrations to land. "The ship is dead, which means some investigating needs to be done."

"I suppose I'm in the mood."

"Aye, I like the way you think. A little adventure…just you and I?" Killian grinned.

"We may need more than us…It's a big ship."

"We could take the whole crew if they're hiding but I'll go retrieve...James and Neal?"

"They should suffice. Go get them," Regina instructed. "I'll get the dinghy set."

He nodded and left the helm, leaving Regina to untie the small boat. She wasn't going to make a big deal out of this so she didn't bother to get into her usual garb. The bodice alone was going to take all night if she tried. She stayed in her tucked blue shirt and slipped her pistol in the back of her pants as she fiddled with the ropes. She leaned over the side to see the small boat fall into the water.

"It's the middle of the night," James grumbled as Killian pulled him along shoving a sword and a pistol into his arms. Neal on the other hand was wide awake and ready to go.

"Just for that you'll go first," Killian responded pushing him forward towards the edge. With a glare he climbed down to the dinghy and Neal followed behind him without question. As he walked by them he grinned at Killian and bowed his head to Regina. The older woman smirked at her first mate and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Not a word, Mills." Regina just shrugged in amusement and followed after them.

Soon they were headed towards the silent ship with James muttering to himself and yawning as he rowed them to their destination. Killian busied himself with polishing his sword and keeping his eyes anywhere but Neal. Although the younger man didn't seem to notice as he watched Regina trace the design of her pistol.

"Captain?" Neal asked quietly. Regina looked up to him and he bit his lip. "Could I ask you a personal question?"

"I suppose but I don't have to answer it if I don't like it," Regina replied.

"Have you sailed the world?"

"Most of it."

"Any place you wish you could stay forever?"

"Home," she answered honestly. "I'd want to go home."

"I understand. Nothing is better than home."

"We're here," James interrupted, rolling his eyes at them. Regina cut her eyes at him but refused to cause him any harm.

"I'll go first then," Killian announced, quickly climbing the ship before anyone could say anything.

"If there are any men onboard, restraint them. So we go quietly. No sounds," Regina commanded to the two younger men with her. They watched her leave up the rope and Neal moved to go up behind her until a hand came down on his chest.

"I have her," James said firmly. "You stick with your admirer."

Neal frowned at him and shook his head.

The four of them stood on the deck of the ship that was completely absent of any presence. The two oldest of the them exchanged looks before nodding to each other in silent agreement to a plan that the younger men didn't get.

"Mr. Neal with me," Killian said and then turned back to James, "Don't mess up."

"Understood sir," James said and glanced to Regina, awaiting her instruction. "Your Majesty."

"Follow me."

They quietly ducked below deck. Creeping through the halls towards the captain's quarter. James glanced around them noticing it was a completely different from the Hangman. In that moment, he finally understood the ship's name. Regina was actually the executioner for the devil. It had to be a terrible job. He frowned in thought not paying much attention as he walked until he bumped into his captain. The older woman spun around on him quickly, leveling him with a glare.

"Sorry, Captain." Regina rolled her eyes at him. "Why is it so quiet?"

"I don't know…"

"You know whose ship this is?"

"No, I don't…" Regina responded distractedly. "Check the first mate's quarters."

James nodded and disappeared behind her. Once he was gone, she sighed and scratched at the back of her neck. A pain was breaking out at the back of her head again and unfortunately that meant she'd have to ask a favor of Thea again or she'd have to maybe end this trip in bloodshed.

Within seconds, the head pain intensified.

"Gold," Regina hissed.

_"I want one damned soul delivered to me within the hour. Then your pain will be relieved."_

"No one there, Captain," James said coming back. His face fell to a frown and he stepped closer to her. She watched him pull a cloth from his pocket and held it up to her nose. Regina took it from his hand and pulled it back to look at it. "Is that normal?"

Regina cringed at the sharp pain and pressed the cloth to her nose again, nodding shortly to him.

"Maybe we should get you back to the ship."

"I'm fine."

"Captain-"

"Have you forgotten that I'm immortal?"

"That doesn't matter. If I'm meant to protect you, that's what I'm going to do." Regina sighed as she held the cloth up to her nose. "I think we should get you back to the ship-"

"Mills!"

They hurried up to the deck spotting Killian and Neal standing over seven men tied at the wrist and on their knees. Regina dropped the bloodied clothed missing Killian's worried expression. She walked the length of the line of captives.

"Regina, what happened?" Killian question throwing a glare over to James.

"Head pain…that's all."

"Captain," James said. "Your nose is still…"

Regina only acknowledged it by covering it again.

"I say we take her back to the ship. This could be done in the morning."

"Maybe he's right," Neal suggested quietly.

"Lads, always take the first chance you see," Killian said and walked over to Regina. They walked over to have a bit of privacy, Killian's hand stayed hovering over the middle of her back. "You sure you're alright, love?"

"I'm fine," Regina huffed as he took away the cloth to assess her injury. "What did you find? He looks shaken up…"

"He's young and inexperienced. There are women and girls in cages below. It's a trafficking vessel."

"Can't be Yuri's ship. I've seen it."

"Well the men won't talk. It's quite odd, this ship being out here like this. No captain. No full crew. It's definitely a pirate vessel."

"What pirate?"

"Lovely question."

"Something is wrong…"

"Other than the obvious?" he questioned wiping the blood from her top lip. He stood back glanced over her form. "Good as new."

"Thank you." He nodded, dropping his hand to the handle of his sword. "We're going to dock this ship after we kill them."

"Kill, Captain?"

"My... _master_...needs a soul or the head pain will be the least of my problems."

"Right then," Killian nodded. He pulled his pistol and shot four of the men.

Neal froze as the blood spattered on him. James and Neal both watched their bodies drop like rocks. Unfortunately, for two of the men it wasn't a clean shot and their struggles to breath filled the air. Blood gurgling and thuds against the deck, Neal cringed. He turned away from them flailing as they bleed out and then suddenly stiffened.

He looked to James and they stared at each other before looking over to their captain. After short eye contact they both seemed to understand.

James pulled out his sword and walked up to the next man. He noticed none of them were sobbing or begging. Just stoic faces with a tinge of resentment in their eyes. With a tight grip on his sword he thrust forward in one swift movement, brave enough to watch as the man fell to his back. He struggled against the blood pooling in his lungs until he went stiff. It garnered no reaction from the last two. They only glanced in the dead man's direction for only a moment.

"Go on, mate," the blond said gesturing to Neal. "You're a pirate now."

"I-"

"They were going to kill your captain!" James yelled, getting in his face. Neal drew his pistol in response. "Defend her. No mercy, _Mr._ Neal."

He raised the gun to the next man's head and steadied his trembling hand, forcing his free hand over his shaking wrist. James shoved him closer and he sucked in a sharp breath. He turned his eyes to Killian's who nodded to him. Pulling the trigger, Neal kept his eyes trained on the older man, ignoring the blood staining his clothes once again.

Guilt flashed across his face and he looked over to Regina apologetically. Normally, she would've lost her patience with someone as caring as he was. He still had his morals. He wasn't a pirate. Just like Killian wasn't when he lived up to his life's goal to be aboard her ship. She could make a monster from a man. It was part of her job.

Regina walked over to him and grabbed the blade from his hip. Neal looked at her, startled by the red eyes looking back at him. She stepped up to the remaining man.

"Leave us," she demanded. James and Killian obeyed causing Neal to reluctantly. As soon as they were nowhere in her sight she looked down to the man. He glared up at her with fire still in his eyes. She pressed the blade against his throat lowering herself to be leveled with his eyes. "Tell me why you're here. Where is your captain?"

"You don't want to know all the things I know, Captain Mills," he answered.

"Tell me." She pressed the blade closer to his skin a sliver of blood ran down his throat. "Who is the captain of this ship?"

"You're in danger. All of you are. The end is coming."

"Answer my question or I'll slit your throat."

"Make it quick, beautiful," he chuckled.

Her lips fell into a thin line and the blood pouring down his neck started to increase. He began to choke, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as his body collapsed to the side. Just like the other men, he struggled for a breath blood building in his lung until his body stopped moving.

The blue smoke-like appearance of his soul slipped from his bloodied mouth and twisted and waved up Regina's nasal cavity until it was all gone. Her chest tightened and her breathing stopped. Her eyes flashed gold and then red and then brown. Relief flooded through her and she slacked.

Immediately after she took her second deep breath, Killian was the first to reappear on deck. Regina stood up over the newly dead body. James and Neal were behind him looking over the bloody deck underneath their feet.

James was about to question what came next until a light flashed in the distance, "What was that?"

Killian grabbed for his eyeglass and squinted into it, immediately spotting the blue and yellow of the ship through the darkness, "White sails, Captain."

"The Navy?" Neal questioned. "This is pirate's territory, right captain?"

"It it." Regina nodded and muttered to herself, "Daniel." Killian's eyes flashed at the sound of his brother's name. He started to plan to ask for a day on land at the Cove so he could give his so called brother a piece of his mind. He was going to start raging.

Regina touched his shoulder to bring him out of it and he sighed. "Get back to the Hangman."

"And leave you? I don't think so," Killian frowned.

"That ship is going to sink and I need more than this ship to do it. The Hangman has a crew. Now do as I say."

He nodded reluctantly and said, "I'm leaving them here with you." She couldn't protest as he left down to the dinghy.

"Orders, captain?" James and Neal looked at her expectantly and the older woman glanced around them. She bent down and picked up the keys that had been hanging from one of the men's belt and shoved them at Neal.

"Check the galley."

"What?"

"We have dozens of people on this ship. Check the galley after you help James get the ship moving."

"Aye captain. But where are you going?"

"I need to see about some cannons."

They left off to their jobs. Regina left below deck and inspected the cannons. She was known to do the impossible but battling a naval ship without an even at least a dozen men was a stretch even for her. Especially with two inexperienced boys who'd only been on her ship for a week it was going to be difficult and now it seemed that the cannons were destroyed. Not a single one seemed to be of use.

Regina was pacing the floor trying to think of a way to utilize the cannons when the ship rocked and a stray part of something she couldn't identify rolled to the right and she smirked to herself seeing the two manage to get the ship going.

Neal ran into the room and looked around at weapons, "It's destroyed..."

"I'm aware. I'm not sure how to fix this," Regina responded emptying her flask with a grimace.

"Should we let them out?" He asked. "The women?"

"We will have severe causalities…but it's best they aren't scared and running around the ship. They'll only get in the way."

"Understood."

"Many of them will die. Do you understand that?"

"I do."

Regina looked up to him suddenly and grinned, "You hear that?"

"No…" Neal frowned before hearing a loud horn that rumbled the waters. "The Hangman."

"Well done, Jones," she said to herself.

"So causalities to a minimal is that right?" Neal questioned.

"Someone must die." The younger man thought on that. Regina knew teaching him would be a challenge considering it seemed a good boy like him had morals unlike James.

Another horn sounded and it didn't sound as if it had come from the ship they were on and it was far from the horn of the Hangman. It was another pirate ship and it was far too close for Regina's liking. The ship rocked violently and the two brunettes exchanged looks. It happened again followed by a cannon firing.

Neither of them could react quickly enough to the round shot blasting through the haul of the vessel. Regina recoiled away from it and walked up to the massive hole. Looking through it she found the naval ship all cannons directed at them.

"Run!"

"Captain?" Neal looked at her in confusion.

"Run!" Regina shouted and Neal heard the sounds of more round shots breaching their haul. Instead of running like she commanded it, he pushed Regina backwards as the room seemed to collapse around them. And then everything went dark.

* * *

"Mills!"

"Regina!"

"Captain!"

Regina woke up pinned under the debris of the deck that fell on top of them. She moved to sit up finding a chunk of wood was on top of her as well some more things on top of that. Pressing her palms into the floor she forced herself off her stomach causing creaks in the ruined ship. Something crashed down somewhere around her but she continued until she couldn't stretch out her arms entirely.

"Regina!"

"Here." She coughed out, spitting out the blood gathering under her tongue. She heard more crashing and thuds and suddenly the weight of half the ship was removed from her back.

"Captain?" James questioned.

Regina turned over to see Killian and James standing over her. Their faces were creased in concern and she frowned at them before looking down at herself. She sighed in annoyance and leaned back on her hands.

"That explains a lot," Regina muttered to herself glaring down at the splinter of wood trapped in her abdomen and another stuck in her thigh.

"You really are immortal," James said in disbelief.

Killian shook his head and bent down in from of her, "You alright, love?"

"A drink would be nice," Regina chuckled. He grinned back at her and nodded.

"Let's get you back to the ship. Lots of rum awaits, I assure you." He looked around. "Mr. Neal!"

"Over here," came a weak response. Killian left to go see to him as James squatted down next to Regina.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"More or less. Do me a favor and pull it out."

He looked at her skeptically but obeyed the orders. Regina watched his hand fall to her thigh as he grasped the splintered wood in her stomach. After a few moments he jerked it out and was surprised that she didn't make a sound except for letting out a sigh of relief. James chucked the wood away and hurried onto the other. This time he placed his hand on her waist and pulled the other out of her thigh, receiving a sharp hiss for it.

"Jones, brief me," Regina commanded, letting James pick her up and put her on her feet. He supported her around the waist and, because of his willingness to literally follow her into battle this early in their travels, she tossed her arm around his shoulders without a thought.

"Navy ship, pirate ship…Hangman."

"Who was the other ship?" She questioned casting Neal a sympathetic glance as he limped over to them with an identical piece of wood planted in his leg. He was shaking uncontrollably and it was obvious the blood lost was causing him to pale.

"Pan," Killian answered leading them up to the deck where surprisingly enough the stairs where still intact.

"Pan?" Regina questioned with a grimace. "This means I owe him something."

"No need to worry about that, Captain. Your proud ship saved him from being blown to bits. Unfortunately, I couldn't steer the same way for this ship."

"You've done beautifully," Regina complimented as they reached the ruined deck.

Sunlight was shining down on them and she was shocked by the time of day, "How long…?"

"Your passengers were severely injured it seems. It took hours…The cannons tore right through the cages. Several are dead and others are injured and managed to get above to the deck."

"And?"

"I had some of our deck hands supervise the transfer between this ship, Pan's ship, and land. All those who survived the attack are safe." Killian noticed the haunted look on Regina's face as they walked toward the plank that led them over to the Hangman.

"Don't undock from this ship."

"It'll start to sink soon, your majesty," James said eyeing the naval ship up in flames in the water.

"Do as I say Killian."

"Yes, Captain." The older man complied and then addressed the blond, "Help me get him to the crew barracks."

Regina watched them go and walked to her own quarters, trying not to stumble as she walked. Her crew eyed her with no pity or sympathy in their eyes, just how she liked it but she knew those who had been loyal for years hid their concern.

She pushed through the doors of her quarters. She took a step, putting a little too much pressure on her destroyed leg and fell into her desk. She supported herself, resting her arms on the surface to hold herself upright. She panted roughly not being able to catch her breath. Looking at her hands she realized she was trembling.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to ask if you need help," Thea said, making her presence known. Regina looked back at her as she sat on the bed. "Your guards let me in…I was worried but you're a woman of too much pride."

Regina let out a strained breath. Thea got up and walked up behind her, "Can I help you up?"

The brunette nodded and instantly felt the younger woman slip her forearms around her, under her arms and hoisted her up to her feet. Regina swayed and involuntarily leaned into the blonde. Thea led her to the bed and Regina dropped down onto it leaning back against her pillows.

"You're immortal so I guess you're actually alright. You'll heal?"

"Yes."

"Will it just happen or will you need assistance? Something to clean the wounds?"

The older woman wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "A drink would do just fine."

"Anything?"

"It should do, yes."

Thea came back with a glass filled to the brim moments later and frowned at the rips in Regina's clothes. She leaned in closer as Regina practically swallowed down the whole drink at once. The injuries were already starting to close as if they were just simple cuts. Unconsciously, she brought her hand up to the skin showing through the tear in the leather pants, careful not to touch the wound.

"They're closing."

"Aren't I just so fortunate," Regina drawled handing the empty glass back. She placed her hands on her stomach and turned her head. "Wake me in a few hours. Tell Jones he's in charge until then."

"Yes, Captain," Thea said dropping the glass on the desk and fixing up her appearance.

* * *

The sea fell quiet as the sun set in the horizon. Regina sighed as she leaned against the railing at the helm. The crew was bustling around to prepare to leave Pirate Cove within the hour.

She prepared to make an appearance at the Cove once again and had James assist her. He frowned and grimaced through it more than she did. He managed to complete his task successfully but when he left he muttered about it being the worst of all his duties.

She had taken the short trip to land and recounted all that had happened. The other pirate lords listened intently before deciding to have the perimeter more guarded but otherwise it was a foolish endeavor on that navy captain's part to attack a dead ship in the night. She kept her suspicions of traps and foul play to herself.

She left quietly, ignoring the room as they all bowed when she took her leave. She lingered around the docks for a while staring out into the sea. Something about all of it gave her a strange feeling. Something that called her back to that ship. She figured it had been because of all the innocent people killed but she needed to take her own words and listen to them.

Someone has to die.

"Ready when you are, Mills," Killian said in passing. She nodded and pulled her coat a little tighter.

She turned towards the deck and walked down to them and crossed the plank. Her eyes stayed glued to the destroyed ship deck and after looking around the ruins she turned away.

She found herself walking towards the part of the ship that held the captured women. She stepped inside and fought off the lurch in her stomach at the stench of death that filled the air. The evidence of the captured women living in something beyond simple misery hit hard. Living in filth, only to become slaves by the end of their torturous journey.

"Savages," Regina sneered kicking away a piece of metal. A whimper caught her attention and she turned swiftly to the sound. She walked until the dull, unbeating organ in her chest still managed to clench tightly.

"Mommy."

Regina thought to leave but her feet wouldn't move. Another whine escaped the object of her eye. Something in her felt broken. Something breaking through from her past before she had been cursed. The pirate knelt down and gathered the dying form in her arms.

"Mommy," the little girl questioned the empty air with blood and heavy tears running down her face.

Regina looked down to see the that the child was blinded from the debris that had penetrated the back of her neck. She knew this would be a long and painful death if see let it continue. It was for this reason she took the girl, about seven or eight years old, and pulled her close to her chest and grasped her neck tightly just under the severe injury.

"I'm sorry, little one. I cannot save you." Regina whispered. Her grip tightened even more as she spoke. She leaned down to kiss the brown mane, her eyes flashing red. A sharp breath left the small body in her arms until she went completely still. The familiar blue soul left the girl and pushed into Regina. Taking a soul was the cruelest and the kindest death she could give anyone. "That is my curse."

"Captain Mills," Killian's voice came from her behind her. She gently removed the wood and stood up with the girl in her arms. "What happened?"

"She was dying. It would've taken several more hours for her to die finally." He nodded his understanding and accepted the small body being passed to him. "She died at sea. Let the sea take her."

"She'll have the proper burial outside of the Cove. We should be beyond the perimeter by nightfall."

"Thank you."

"Of course, Regina," Killian said leaving her to be alone.

The moment of her heart actually making her feel something more than anger had passed and she moved through the ship in observance. She needed anything on the former captain of this ship. Even just a sliver of something would be enough. If her will power wasn't so limited she'd hunt down every trafficker that sailed in her seas. Even then most pirate lords trafficked women and took slaves from perished villages all over.

She walked until she came across the captain's quarters, barely touched by the battle. Holes were blown through the walls and very little damage had been done to the thing inside. She walked inside cautiously and noticed the desk was filled with papers. Regina walked up to the desk with her pistol in hand and slid the items around on the surface. Nothing was standing out to her that would give any clues so she decided to take them all.

Dropping the gun on the desk, she folded up a few things and shoved them inside of her coat. Dark eyes roamed over the trinkets on the desk and she reached over to grab a compass knocking over a very heavy paper weight. A shuffling sound echoed against the walls and Regina picked up her pistol, cautiously walking around the desk having spotted the narrow nook of space in the corner. Her gun was first to move and then she stepped aside.

She dropped her weapon to her side at the terrified emerald eyes looking at her. Regina took a step forward and was met with another terrified look. It wasn't hard to understand why though.

The woman was chained to the wall, her wrists cuffed above her head. Hunger ate at her body like the plague and her tattered, scarce clothing clung to her thin limbs like wet leather. As far as her anger went, it burned her chest and her determination to find the ship's captain heightened.

"It's okay," Regina said softly taking another step. The fear in the young woman increased and she struggled against her chains trying to push herself further as if she wasn't already crammed to the back of the narrow space. Her blonde hair was limp and her eyes were sunken in.

Regina wasn't leaving the ship without her.

"I'm not going to hurt you," the older woman said again. She was standing in front of the small space and reached out slowly to her. "Are you injured?"

The blonde shook her head vigorously but it was obvious that it wasn't an answer to Regina's question. As gently as she could manage Regina leaned forward against the young woman's protests and picked the lock on her chains. She tried to ignore the terror in the eyes of the woman below her as she fought with the iron.

After a moment of frustration with them, the chains dropped to the floor on either side of the blonde but she only pulled her hands into her body. She was instantly stiff, looking at Regina in the eyes waiting for the older woman to do something.

"Are you hurt?" Regina questioned again.

Suddenly the woman's fear weakened, the fright fading in her. Instead her stares became curious and cautious. She shook her head to the question. And although it counted for the attack the ship had been submitted to, she knew it couldn't be the same answer for what happened to her before it.

"Who did this? The man that sits at that desk. Where is he?"

The blonde shook her head again with tears stinging at her eyes and Regina sighed putting away her pistol and trying her luck at coaxing the woman out of small space.

"It's okay. You're safe now." Regina reached out again, watching as the young blonde eyed it suspiciously. Then she leaned forward towards her hand and Regina moved back a little. She seemed to follow her movement after a skeptical glance to the woman in front of her. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

She backed away a few steps as she stood and the blonde followed, crawling out of the space but not making a move to stand. Regina put her hand out again and was surprised when it was taken and she pulled herself up but she stumbled into Regina's chest. She felt her freeze up and she lightly touched her arms to pull her back.

"You're okay?" Regain glanced at her weak legs that were shaking under her weight. She received a small nod and gave a tight grin. "Come on, we should get you out of here. The ship is slow sinking beneath our feet."

The blonde look down to the floor and then back up to her, moving closer with concentrated steps.

"Looks like you can walk. Let's go," Regina said releasing her hold on the woman and as soon as she did she regretted it as the blonde swayed unsteadily on quivering, bony legs. Regina watched her stumble forward and she decided quickly it was best she don't let go again and put her arm around her waist. The blonde clutched her jacket desperately as they left the quarters.

As the rose up to the deck she seemed to relax at being away from the captain's rooms despite cringing at the bright flash of the sun.

Killian waited on the other side of the plank and Regina gave him a look at he understood immediately.

"Alright lads, back to work. Don't scare the visitor," he said shooing the curious men away from the edges of the ship.

It wasn't as if any of them were going to harm her and though they weren't saints, Regina never took in a man that she suspected would take a woman against her will. In fact, she did more of the killing than any of even her oldest crew members. Regina knew as far as anyone on her ship as a guest went they had decent manners at the least and they wouldn't harm this woman but considering what she had suspected the young woman was used for on that ship she'd be just as wary about another ship full of men.

The blonde stopped walk half way to the Hangman seeing the crew and Killian. Regina leaned in and whispered, "I promise they won't hurt you."

She received a pleading look before getting a timid nod.

Regina walked her into her quarters as quickly as she could and requested Killian not follow her. She sat her down on the bed and paced in front of her.

"You don't speak do you?"

A head shake.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Emma!" Thea said.

Regina turned around to the woman at the door and put her hands up to stop her from scaring the other blonde. Although her hands dropped to her sides as it registered to her what she just said.

"Emma?" Regina questioned watching Thea drop her hat and run to the seated woman.

"You're alive," Thea cried pulling her into a hug. The older woman behind her just look on with a frown as the nervous woman accepted the hug timidly for only a few seconds before looking to Regina.

"Thea, let her go."

She pulled away and saw that she looked scared and glanced over to Regina, "You found her on that ship didn't you?"

"Yes," Regina said in a whisper.

"It was one of those ships wasn't it?" Thea questioned holding onto the other blonde's arms before letting go and stalking up to Regina. "They tortured her? Beat her?"

"I won't answer that for you, dear."

Thea searched her eyes before looking down to the ground, "She doesn't even remember me."

"I'm sure she does. Give it time," Regina tried to assure.

"She wants you. You saved her. Just take care of her," Thea said firmly, looking over to the woman who was looking at Regina and like she said it seemed she wanted her attention. She picked up her hat and pushed it onto her head as she turned to leave solemnly.

Regina grabbed her arm and turned her, "What's her name?"

"Emma. Emma Swan. She doesn't talk at least for as long as I've been alive. She's three years older than me..." Thea glanced to the other blonde briefly.

"And she's…your sister? The one you said you had a funeral for?"

"Didn't think you would remember such a thing, Captain." Thea pulled out of her grasp and walked towards the door, "I'll bring you some food. You haven't eaten much in days."

Regina looked back to Emma and went over to take a seat. The blonde turned to her waiting for something to happen.

"Emma?" She nodded. "I'm Captain Mills. I'm a pirate lord and this is my ship. You'll be safe here."

She expected her to slip back into her terrified shell at the mention of a pirate but she rather get it over with now.

Instead of trying to get away from her out of fear, tears slipped down Emma's face and she looked at Regina deep in the eyes. A moment later, Regina felt the blonde move forward, pulling her into a weak hug, sobbing into her shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence, Sex, Torture, mentions of rape and prostitution, language, heavy alcohol use, self harm (still a pirate story)
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Violence, torture, language, and de-handing...?
> 
> Beta: Withgirl
> 
> Enjoy

They just stared at each other. Well Emma stared at Regina.

The woman had taken a seat at her desk feeling a headache crawling to the back of her head again. She grimaced at the food in front of her but sighed and took a bite of it. She needed to think and decided maybe Emma had had enough interaction for the day but from the stare she felt burning into the side of her face, maybe she might have been wrong. She looked over to Emma and then looked at the bread that was in her hand. Regina stopped chewing immediately and held it out to her. Even someone as traumatized as she was wouldn't pass up fresh bread. Emma looked tempted but didn't move from her spot on the edge of the bed. Regina pushed out of her chair and calmly walked over to the blonde.

Regina held it out to her, so close she wouldn't even have to work hard to reach for it. Emma put her hand out and the brunette was prepared to hand it over but the cold hand latch onto her wrist and her hand was pulled forward. She watched in surprise as Emma took a small bite from it, holding on to her wrist tightly, silently asking she not take it away. The older woman felt a twist in her gut, and that was more than she'd ever really felt for anyone, at the sight. Emma took another bite and Regina grabbed her hand and pushed the bread into her scarred palm.

"Just take it," Regina said quickly and moved over to sit back down at her desk. She kept her eyes on the papers she'd taken from the other ship and snuck a glance over to the woman.

Emma stared down at the food and then looked back up to Regina.

"Eat it," Regina said, running her finger around the rim of her rum. She watched tensely as Emma started to eat it herself but she kept eye contact with her as like she was waiting for something. Regina found she was always waiting for something and she wasn't sure what it was. She cleared her throat and Emma looked up at her nervously and Regina tilted her glass to her, "You drink?"

Regina smirked when the blonde shrugged. She pushed it over to the edge of the desk and leaned back in her chair to prop her legs up on the dark wood. She glanced at Emma and the younger woman was standing up trying to keep balance on her legs and walked over to her with her eyes on the goblet. She didn't seem to notice the brown eyes watching her from over the edge of the documents in her hands.

"Go on," Regina encouraged. "I've had too much."

Their eyes met and Regina watched her gaze narrow in suspicion. Emma pulled her hand away and stepped away from the desk.

"I'm not trying to poison you. I wouldn't benefit from it," Regina said defensively and her eyes widened as she remembered Emma didn't speak. The blonde looked at her in shock and stepped back until the back of her legs hit the bed. "You don't have to be scared of me. I'm not going to hurt you."

She didn't look too convinced by Regina's words and her eyes became even more suspicious. The older woman figured this would be how things were between Emma and anyone now. She was in a much safer place but Regina knew the mind could be bruised. It wouldn't let a person believe so easily in hope. Not that Regina so easily believed in it herself.

"Look I'll go," Regina said pushing away from her desk and standing up not noticing the fear coming back to the green eyes. "I have some things to tend to on deck. You can do whatever you like. My clothes are over there. You can sleep. You can…I don't know, anything."

As Regina made it to the door, she heard a whimper and turned to see the tears trekking down Emma's face. The blonde looked at her pleadingly and Regina froze. Emma came over to her and weakly reached out to her. Regina was quick to take her hand and pulled her close as if it was natural and she had been doing this with the blonde for a long time.

Emma clung to her tightly and Regina put a comforting hand to her head, "It's okay." She felt the blonde shake her head into her shoulder and she sighed. "I'll find who did this to you. You won't have to be scared ever again."

Regina didn't question her actions even though it was something she'd never done with anyone. It was very possible she wasn't aware of what she was doing and it was surely going to come as a surprise later on. It was going to hit her like mountain when she realized what she'd done...what she was doing.

The older woman pulled her even closer and rested her head against Emma's and whispered, "Everything is alright. I promise."

She pulled away and tried to give the blonde her best assuring look. Emma let herself be seated back on the bed as Regina took the tumbler and drunk from it to show it was safe before she handed it to Emma. It seemed her suspicion had calmed down and she took it and drunk from it greedily. Regina couldn't really tell if she liked liquor or not the way she drained the drink. She more than likely hadn't tasted any of it.

"Interesting…"

Emma wiped at the tears on her cheeks and held the glass in her lap, watching Regina pull clothes down from a shelf. She exchanged the glass for the clothes and Emma took the hint that it meant she was supposed to change. She quickly pulled the pants over her bare legs and looked up to Regina in gratitude.

"You're welcome," Regina responded quietly. "You should get some sleep…that is, if you want to stay here. On the ship?"

Emma nodded sheepishly and glanced back to the bed.

"You can sleep there. I don't sleep much so it'll be yours," Regina said glancing away as the woman pulled the tattered dress away from her body and hurried into the warm shirt Regina provided. From the way she looked she was relieved to be in a more comfortable set of clothes. The older woman watched as she crawled under the blankets and looked expectantly at her. "I really must go to the helm for something. Do you want guards at the door?"

Emma gave a small smile and tried to hide away some of her fear of being left by the woman that had saved her from her prison. The feeling of safety revolved around the mysterious woman and Emma was reluctant to let her go so easily but she'd let her leave because she promised in her own way that she'd be back. In answer to the question asked she bowed her head and pulled the blankets further up her body.

"I'll be back soon," Regina announced as she opened the door. "Try to rest."

She gave a few words to the men always loyally guarding her rooms and ordered them to not let anyone inside except herself and no one else was an exception. They obeyed having been relieved of their duty of being present during a sendoff.

She continued on until she was fully on deck. The sea was calm and the Hangman was at ease for just a moment even if it wasn't for the best of reasons. And the sky was an unusual dark blue and the moon casted a white glow over all of them.

Regina nodded to her crew as they all stood on deck looking out toward the east. She walked up to the helm and Killian took that as indication to start the small ritual.

"Drop the boat," he called.

A splash sounded underneath them and all eyes fell to it as it started to drift with the waves. Regina leaned over and grabbed her bow and arrow from the quartermaster's hands and walked over to the edge to watch the liner rock lightly. Her jaw tensed at the small body shadowed inside. The crew lowered their heads with their hats between their fingers as James came over to their captain with a torch in hand.

Regina gave him permission and he took the torch to the tip of the arrow. He stepped back and watched curiously as she pulled it back, paused, and then released it. It flew from the tips of her fingers and after a moment of unnerving silence, the small liner caught fire.

"Nice shot, Captain," James praised in disbelief.

"Be quiet boy. Don't be disrespectful." Killian nearly smacked in the head but refrained, saving it for a later date.

He nodded and glanced over to the boat beginning to disappeared out of their sight. He bowed his head and only looked up when Regina's shadow passed him and she disappeared to her quarters like he noticed happened often. Although this time he was sure her retirement was due to the woman in her room.

Killian watched until the boat was no longer even a small dot in his vision and when he turned he noticed Regina walking back to her cabin with her head hanging. He rushed after her to stop her before she got passed the two men at her door that wouldn't let him through. He reached out and caught her arm, spinning her around to meet his gaze, "You alright love?"

"Fine," she replied stiffly, brushing fallen hair out of her face.

"You watched her die…" He started sympathetically. Thunder clattered above them and suddenly it started to rain and that was all the answer he needed. He looked into her eyes and saw emotion in them. It wasn't the typical anger and sorrow is the last thing he expected to see.

"It made me feel something."

"That's…odd."

"Yes. I've seen plenty of dead children; this should make no difference."

Another clap of thunder seemed to make the ship vibrate and the crew erupted into worried whispers, casting glances over to Regina. Killian looked over his shoulder and then back her, "You should rest."

"Everything should be fine come morning."

"I'd believe that if there was even a chance you would sleep tonight, Mills."

"I have a guest to look after," Regina answered lamely.

"Speaking of which...what's happening with that?"

"She was a _personal_ slave for the captain of that abandoned ship. It'd be too much to hope at the very least he wasn't sharing her with the rest of the crew."

"That kind of slave then."

"What other slave is there on a pirate ship, Killian?"

"You, Captain," he admitted. She looked up to him from the deck below her boots with a somewhat surprised expression but before she could comment he was already gone.

She glanced up toward the sky as the rain fell down on them before she turned back to her prior destination and dared the two guards to speak about the conversation they no doubt heard. They said nothing, not even sparing her a look as she walked by and closed the door behind herself.

A tired sigh left the older woman as she walked to the center of the room, wringing out her long hair and ignoring the puddles of water forming with her every move. She shed her top, dropping it to the floor and her hand automatically resting against her stomach where the splinter of wood from the attack had be implanted.

The tiredness that had followed her around since her encounter with Daniel had forced her to not even think about putting on another shirt. No one would disturb her tonight. She glanced over to her bed and found Emma curled up in a tight ball, a lump under the sheets and fast asleep. The thought to curl up at the edge of the bed occurred to her but something like that would probably terrify the woman so she dropped down in her desk chair and took the decanter of amber liquid into her hands.

"Someone has to die," she repeated to herself and leaned back, propping her feet up and pulling the decanter up to her lips.

* * *

Graham watched from afar as his old friend picked up a little girl happy to see him as his wife smiled at him. He held the pipe between his lips and inhaled just as he started to walk over to the scene. The happy trio continued to be so even as he stood by. Daniel's wife noticed him first and the man followed, his brow creasing in confusion.

"Sorry to interrupt," Graham said sincerely. "I need to have a word, mate."

"I'm with my family right now, Humbert."

"I assure you you'll want to know about this. It involves Regina Mills."

Daniel's wife narrowed her eyes at the name and then looked to Daniel for an explanation. He flushed slightly and handed his daughter back to her, kissing her cheek and promising to explain but she pulled away from him, "What's going on? Have you been to see her?"

"We happened to be on the same port. I was there to arrest someone," Daniel replied, ignoring Graham's smirk. "She's a tortured woman. I was just trying to help her."

"She's a pirate, Daniel. The worst of them all."

"She was going to hurt someone; I was just trying to guide her in the right direction. She's cursed."

"Handle this but afterwards I don't ever want to hear her name again," she said turning and stalking away with their daughter in her arms.

Daniel brought his attention back to the man behind him with strong glare taking over his face, "Why would you mention her in front of my wife?"

"Didn't think it'd be so much of a problem for you Colter. It's not like she has to worry about you having an affair with a lowly pirate like her."

"That's enough, Graham. What do you want?"

Graham folded his arms across his chest, "Admiral wants information on Regina. I've been sent to issue you your summons…verbally."

"Information?" Graham shrugged. "We go through this all the time no one knows anymore about her than they did over 25 years ago."

"Well as secret as your time as a pirate is, you being her lover isn't as much of a secret, mate. They want emotional leverage over her."

"Emotional leverage? She's practically dead. Her heart doesn't beat. There's barely enough emotion in there for her to be angry about something, let alone have deep rooted emotional connection with people. Why?"

"Devil's Hangman was involved in the sinking of a vital Navy vessel. They want to put her on trial but obviously they have to catch her first."

"Then why aren't they talking to you? You've been sleeping with her personal guard shouldn't you be the first person they track down?"

"My business is _my_ business."

"And if it becomes theirs?"

"Are you threatening me, Daniel? A man who could potentially have very strong ties to murderous pirates who owe me a favor or two?" Daniel frowned at the implications. Graham stepped up closer to him and the slightly shorter man looked at him cautiously. "You have a beautiful family, Colter. Don't do anything to jeopardize that."

"Now you're threatening me…"

"No I'm just telling you what's in your best interest. Now I've handed off the summons to you. Be there tomorrow, noon or face prosecution for aiding the enemy."

"Understood," Daniel sneered walking away to console his wife.

* * *

"Captain," James said with his hand hovering over the woman's shoulder. Deciding whatever she might do to him wouldn't be that bad, he let his fingers brush her bare skin, "Captain!"

Regina bolted up from her seat, her hand latching onto his wrist tightly. Her chest heaved up and down and James tried not to stare at her bare chest, not that she cared much at all. She looked up to him and he held up a shirt to her. She took it and dropped her arm back into her lap.

"Captain…"

"What?" Regina questioned squinting up at him.

"Aren't you going to put it on?"

Regina glanced down to her bare torso and recalled the events of last night. She remembered drinking herself into a stupor and those weren't usually very pretty to witness. Typically, it was very violent. Her eyes immediately snapped to the bed, examining the lump under her silk sheets.

"Who let you in here?" she questioned eyeing Emma's form in the bed before glancing around the room. She frowned at its cleanliness. No tossed furniture, no shattered glass or torn fabric. She sighed in relief since that meant she hadn't disturbed Emma in her sleep or harmed her in any way.

"I-"

"Nevermind it," Regina said dismissively. She noticed him squirming his place and pulled the shirt over her head and down over her shoulders. He visibly relaxed and seemed to be able to look at her now. She knew he had already been very uncomfortable with the wound on her chest and certainly enjoyed fixing her boots more than his job of tending to it. "You may leave. I don't need anything."

"Yes, Captain." He bowed his head and moved out of her quarters.

"James," she called.

"Majesty?"

"Tell Theo his presence is requested immediately." He nodded and left closing the door behind him.

Regina adjusted herself in her chair and looked over to her desk. It was a bit messy as always but the three empty bottles of liquor made her seriously wonder how she hadn't destroyed the room. But she couldn't get too caught up in her thoughts as movement caught her eye. She looked over to the bed and Emma shifted under the sheets before a mess of blonde hair popped up. Unconsciously, Regina grinned at the sleepy woman as she rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Sleep well?" Regina asked. Emma looked up to her and nodded with a small smile. "Good…Can you remember anything?"

The blonde stared down into her lap thoughtfully but the door swung open and she startled, cowering back into the headboard of the bed and pulling sheets up her body protectively. Thea came into the room relieved to toss her hat away and let her long braided blonde mane to fall passed her shoulders. Emma's shoulders immediately relaxed from the tension but Thea's eyes only fell to Regina. Her nose was pink as were her cheeks and she gave Regina pleading look.

"It's hot out there, Captain Mills. We need shade."

"Don't complain," Regina said sounding just a stiff as she looked behind her desk. "You need the sun."

"I'm not you, Captain. I'm not an exotic woman from the place where the natives' glow golden like treasure."

Regina rolled her eyes and nodded over to her bed. Thea shifted her eyes over to the blonde and smiled at the familiar look in Emma's eyes.

"Emma. You still remember me?" Thea asked.

Emma grinned and nodded back. Thea came over to her and hugged her tight. The older woman in the room watched from her desk quietly, analyzing everything about their interaction. She hoped maybe she could learn something from it and maybe have a less strange way of communicating with her. She looked on thoughtfully as Thea smoothed down wild blonde hair and caressed her face gently as Emma held onto her and smiled softly at her whispers.

Suddenly, feeling like she was imposing on a private moment amongst family, Regina stood silently from her chair and grabbed her coat from the hook to her left. A loud sound vibrated the air around them and Thea, seeing her up from her desk turned slightly to her, "Someone caught a thief."

Regina nodded at the new information and walked over to the doors, "I'll leave you two to…catch up. I believe I have business to attend to. If you would like a show, make yourselves comfortable on the helm with Jones."

"Aye Captain," Thea said watching her leave before turning back to Emma next to her on the bed. Emma looked curiously after her and then looked at her for explanation. "I think she's going to throw someone overboard. I heard it's quite entertaining."

Emma's brow furrowed in worry, her eyes asking why.

"She's a pirate, Emma…The Queen of the Damned. She's gotta damn somebody." Her sister nodded in agreement and hugged her again. Thea wrapped her arms across her shoulders.

* * *

_The whip cracked again, breaking the air around them. Regina jolted from her daydreaming at the searing pain splitting down her back. She had drifted off to dissociate herself from the torture she was receiving. If she'd counted right it would've been number seventy-two._

_She blinked at the unnaturally bright sky over them and she whimpered as another crack came down on her back. She jerked forward at the force and blood spilled from her lips dripping down her chin into the puddle of sweat and blood under her._

_"Have you had enough yet?" Gold snickered._

_Regina flexed her fingers, flinching at the cold that bit through her flesh from the shackles around her wrist. Her knees were burning from kneeling in front of the contraption she was strapped to. All it really was, was a wooden cylinder in the center of the deck with a piece of plank wood across it, which was where the shackles held her arms in front of her leaving her only support her elbows._

_The whip came down on her again and it forced a cough out of her. More blood dripped from the corner on her lips and she sighed, "If I said yes, would you actually make him stop?"_

_"I'd consider it. Only if you've learned your lesson, Your Majesty."_

_Another slash to her back caused another spill of blood from her lips. Most people would be dead and if not dead they'd be wishing for death but that was her curse. Even if she wished for it, she could not die. Even if she'd try to kill herself it wouldn't work. She'd just suffer the pain._

_"Okay," Regina gagged. Her chest heaved for the relief of cold air stinging the raw flesh of her back. "I've learned my lesson."_

_Gold glanced up at her and walked over to her, inspecting her quivering thighs. He got down to her level and looked her deep in the eyes, his hand fell to her right thigh, "Are you sure? There's still some unblemished skin available."_

_"No. I've learned."_

_"Fine then." He stood up and gestured to his minion to unshackle her._

_Rough hands released her without a touch of gentleness and as soon as her wrists were free, she dropped to the ground in exhaustion. It had been two hours of torture and verbal abuse for her disobedience. Her body wouldn't function right for a while so she'd be laying there for a while._

_"Now when I tell you I want a soul damned to my dominion, what are you going to do?" Gold sneered down at her shivering form._

_"I'll do it," Regina mumbled, beginning to slip into unconsciousness._

_"What is it that I told you? Always remember that that line…"_

_"Someone must die."_

_"That's right. Someone must die. And you're going to be the one to make sure they do." Regina closed her eyes lazily but listened for as long as she could. "I am your master! You are my property and you will do what I say when I tell you!...Now what do you say?"_

_"Yes, master."_

_"Good girl. When you wake you'll be back on your ship," Gold said dismissively._

_"Thank you, master…"_

Regina blinked out of her memory as she stood in the center of her chanting crew. They created a packed circle on the deck. They yelled and threw out their bets waving any money they were willing to risk. She glanced over to Emma and Thea at the helm next to Killian and turned back to the ring she was in. She removed her captain's hat and dropped her coat and the quartermaster scurried over to her and handed her, her sword.

She pulled it from the sheath and ran her index finger on the edge of the blade to the tip until it nicked her finger. Blood pooled up on her finger but she paid it no mind.

"I'm sure you all have been waiting for a good show," Killian announced loudly, heard by everyone over all the cheers. "Well, you all get a front row seat to the best and bloodiest show in the sea. We have a traitor amongst us." Killian smirked at sudden booing. "Traitors get no mercy! Now…place your bets, lads. And choose wisely because Hell hath no fury like the Queen of the Sea!"

The crew cheered and shouted and the thief was pushed forward into the manmade ring. He didn't look at terrified or even the least bit sorry. Regina didn't mind it. It really just made her fun come without an instance of guilt. He drew his sword and pointed it at her from where he stood. He received a shove from someone behind him in the front of the crowd at the disrespectful gesture.

"Pussies first, bastard!" Someone shouted and encouraged more yelling and chanting.

Without a thought, the thief lunged at her and she sidestepped him effortlessly. Everything fell silent. She walked forward calmly holding her sword limply at her side and turned to face him as he straightened himself. He shook his shoulders and bounced on the balls of his feet seemingly more confident than anyone should have been. With cry, he waved his sword above his head before it came down to meet Regina's.

The clash of iron vibrated the air around the ship and the crew had renewed optimism. They shouted and chanted Devil's Hangman from the top of their lungs with rum bottles in the hands. Killian chuckled and drunk from his own flash before handing it over to Thea who shrugged and drunk from it.

He knew the crew's enjoyment contributed to Regina's fight. She enjoyed giving a show and grew cocky and smug as the noise around her grew in her favor, as it always had. The sound of chanting and drunken songs along with the small thuds of dice hitting the wood beneath as gambling broke out on deck as the fight continued.

A particularly loud clash of metal sounded and Emma jumped under her sister's arm around her shoulder. Thea glanced over to her and squeezed her shoulder, pulling her closer. Emma seemed genuinely scared for the Captain's wellbeing and Thea grinned at her knowing exactly where this could be leading to.

On top of her gratitude to Regina for saving her and her urge to cling to the woman, she also was developing a crush on her too. It had been a while but she was still familiar with the glint in those stormy green eyes.

"Hey," she said into Emma's ear, "She's going to be just fine, Emma. I'm sure she gets a kick out of this."

They looked back as thief swung Regina around after having a collision and gave her no time to recover before he thrust his sword into her chest. Adding insult to injury, he grabbed her forcefully by the waist pulling her closer and digging the sword deeper. He stepped back with a look of satisfaction as the ship grew silent.

A gasp escape Emma's throat and she leaned forward over the railing, fighting her urge to help. She didn't bother to question her strong emotions for the pirate so she also didn't fight them. She saved her life of course she cared about her safety. That was all she cared to address for the moment.

"Or not…" Thea said quietly and Emma glanced at her in concern before forcing her eyes back to the sword in her savior's chest.

Regina stepped back a few feet and turned to the first man she saw behind her. She put her hand up and gesturing for him to hand something over. The red headed man understood immediately and gave her his cigar. The older woman took it gratefully and lifted it in her hand appreciatively before she turned back around and sat down the stool that happened to be present in the circle.

Everyone watched her inhale deeply and pulled the cigar away from her lips as she blew smoke through her nose.

"Tell me…" she waved her hand in a half circle and then gestured to a member of the crew to her left.

"Salazar, Captain," he answered proudly.

"Salazar," Regina nodded. "Tell me what happens to a thief on my ship."

He stepped forward and turned to the person facing the Hangman's trial, "You lose your hands." The crew yelled in agreement. "Then we'll see how fast you can swim from the sharks covered in pig's fat. The crew's personal touch."

Two members of the crew rushed through the crowd with a heavy barrel and sat it in the middle of the circle before rushing back into the crowd with devilish smirks on their faces. The thief looked around then back to Regina who stood up from the stool with her sword dragging against the deck. She took a drag from the cigar as he feet stopped just short of the man.

With one swipe, quicker than anyone could even see the man cried out in agony not having even realized what had just happened. He trembled looking down at his arms seeing the both hands were gone, fallen to the ground along with his sword that Regina removed from her chest.

"You don't live if you steal from my people," Regina said blowing smoke in his face as involuntary tears streaked down his face and he violently trembled. Some cringed at the flow of blood, spilling out onto the deck, splattering against Regina's clothes. "Your debt is paid. You belong to the devil now."

She turned to the quartermaster and handed over her bloodied sword. She looked over shoulder and nodded to her crew who immediately flocked forward towards the man and proceed to make him walk the plank with pig's fat soaking his clothes.

Regina retreated back to her quarters casting a glance up to the three at the helm and noticed Emma's eyes glued to her. She saw concern in them and she blinked in response not sure how to handle that. She bowed her head to emerald eyes and took her leave to her quarters.

* * *

Red watched impatiently as the man across from couldn't manage to stop his fidgeting. It was a peeve for her. The twitching and leg shaking put her on edge but this time she put it aside as best she could and cleared her throat. Maurice French looked up from his lap with hopeful eyes and baited breath.

He locked his hands together at the fingers and sucked in a gulp of air, "I sense you have bad news for me, Miss Lucas. It's not something I want to hear but it also wouldn't be wise for me not to listen. I need closure regardless of my longing to have my Belle back."

"It's progress, not significant progress but still. The fact remains that it's very possible that Captain Mills would have no choice but to raid every ship she comes across." He nodded blankly at her words and Red took that as sign he knew this wouldn't come with an easy fix. "At this rate it could take her years to find your daughter. And only by miracle or a nonexistent act of kindness from the devil, would she be able to find her in less time than that."

"Money is no issue, Miss Lucas."

"I know you don't want this to be the case but if it really could take years, I wouldn't bleed myself dry for it. In years she could be dead."

"With all due respect, Miss Lucas," he said raising his voice, "I don't think you have the right to speak for any parent missing their child."

"I try not to be rude and cruel," Red said softly. "But I will dismiss this favor you're asking of Regina Mills before it ever reaches her ears, so I would be careful who you piss off in your understandable outrage over this situation."

He dropped his head and removed bite from his voice, "My apologies. I don't like the thought of her being lost forever."

"I have leads but I cannot act on them until Regina is present. As soon as her two feet touch land, I'll be on her about this immediately."

"Thank you. I really do appreciate your help."

"I've been quite bored the past few years. I like challenge and I'm glad to be of assistance."

* * *

The pirate paced behind her desk, breathing harshly against the healing beginning to join her skin together again. She hated the feeling of _his_ dark magic crawling around her body every time she was injured. Her thoughts drifted back to her crew still causing an uproar on the deck even though the sharks had long banged their tails against her ship in their frenzy and swam away.

A smirk crossed her face at how riled up they got for such a thing but she figured it was reasonable considering she hadn't really gone pirating around the world with her crew in a year. Even the cook seemed to be bored and he had plenty of mouths to feed during the day.

The doors to her quarters opened quietly but the movement in the corner of her eyes got her attention. She turned to see Emma carefully closing the door behind her and wringing her hands in front of her hips as she turned to face Regina. Their eyes met and a lift caught the corners of Emma's lips and she waved shortly at the older woman.

"I apologize for the messy show, Miss Swan," Regina stated. "It slipped my mind that I wasn't amongst strictly dirty pirates such as myself."

Emma only smiled at her and Regina didn't know how to respond so she averted her eyes and gestured told her replenished liquor supply, "Drink?" She received another smile and nodded. She poured a light amount and handed it to the blonde who took it, not tearing her eyes away from deep brown orbs. Regina shifted uncomfortably on the balls over her feet and Emma drunk from it to ease her discomfort.

"Have you-" Regina swallowed her question and rubbed the back of her neck. She instead asked, "How are you?"

Emma grinned at her taking sips from her drink and Regina felt something in her stomach at the slight scrunch of her nose every time she drunk more after a pause. For the first time it didn't feel like pounds of rock fighting with the acid in her stomach or just the typical blade to the gut. But it also didn't feel like anything any normal person would feel. It wasn't a flutter as far as she knew, it was just a feeling. And it was very perplexing.

The blonde looked at her thoughtfully after she got lost in her thoughts and she finished her drink until there was a barely a swallow wading at the bottom. She sat it down on the desk behind the brunette and touched Regina's elbow lightly. The brown of her eyes lifted to her face and glossed over her features. Emma pointed to her chest and Regina looked down and then frowned in confusion.

"I…I don't understand."

Emma sighed instantly and pointed again but Regina, as beautiful as she is smart, was really dense. Her brow creased in confusion once more and the blonde woman turned Regina to her face her. Regina had been gentle with her and gave comfort to her willingly even though Emma knew she forced it on the woman. A large part of her wanted to return the favor to the older woman. To show her kindness.

Regina tensed as warm hands reached out to her shirt and undid the buttons. Emma paced herself in case the woman protested until she was looking at the olive skin marred with violent wounds. She looked to the valley between her breasts before reaching up to touch the penetrating wound from the fight she'd just had with the thief.

The brunette grabbed her upper arms and Emma hesitated for a moment, looking into her eyes for any sign of fear. When she found none and noticed her grip was actually very light against her arms, Emma raised her other hand to her chest and felt the broken flesh beneath her hands.

"I'll be fine," Regina assured.

'Pain,' Emma mouthed.

"No pain. Not anymore."

'Liar.'

Emma brushed her hand over the wound on her heart. Regina frowned knowing that the only thing that would be brought on by her touch would be the arousal she was quite disgusted with feeling after all these years. Lust was not something she craved anymore. She'd already had a lifetime of one night stands and they were not anything special no matter how satisfied her sexual hunger was afterwards.

To her surprise, Emma leaned forward and rested her chin on her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. Regina stiffened at the contact but then thought not to reject the tortured woman's pull for comfort. So, she placed her hands on the middle of the blonde's back and rested her chin on her sharp shoulder.

"Emma…are you all right?" She received a nod against the base of her neck. Emma sighed softly and figured the older woman wouldn't understand but she quite liked the way the pirate's embraced brought safety so she forced the woman to stay in her hold. Regina pressed her hand to the back of her head hoping her even with her lack of normal emotion it still did something for her. "Can you tell me about him? The man that hurt you? I want to find him."

Emma pulled away from her and shook her head.

"You don't know or you won't tell me?"

'I won't tell,' Emma mouthed to her.

"Why not?" Regina questioned in frustration walking away from the blonde with a huff. She ran her fingers through her hair and turned back to her. "He has to pay his debt for what he's done. Protecting him doesn't help you. You're safe and he can't hurt you if you tell me."

The younger woman shook her head and shrugged her shoulders with her brow creased.

"Do you not feel safe here?"

Regina started wondering what she could change about the ship to make her feel safe but before she could start in on her unknown uncertainty Emma plopped down on her bed ungracefully. She folded her arms across her chest and shot the brunette a look.

Regina relaxed slightly and glanced around knowing she wanted to drop the subject.

"Do you...fancy a game of chess?" Regina asked and the blonde smiled in response.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence, Sex, Torture, mentions of rape and prostitution, language, heavy alcohol, use, self harm, etc. (Still a pirate story)
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Violence...unintentional self harm, mild smut I suppose. Nothing too graphic.

"Order! Order!"

Daniel glanced around the room to the many Englishmen looking at him as he sat in the middle of the court. They sat high up, staring down at him in distaste. His time as pirate was no secret but it was also a curse in itself and it seemed that sitting there amongst these men was proof of that.

He shifted in his seat, uncomfortably.

"I want silence!" The room fell as quiet as possible, murmurs still echoing around them. The Navy's commander sat at the head of the room. The gavel was gripped tightly in his hand, threatening to shush or physically injure with it. "Now. By order of the King, we are here for the pirate Regina Mills also known as the Queen of the Damned."

The room erupted into whispers and faces twisted in outrage at hearing the name. Daniel winced at the anger so many people in one room held against the woman. Not many had anything personal to say about her. Most hadn't even really met the woman. These men definitely hadn't simply by the fact that they were still alive.

"Silence!" The Commander shouted, banging the gavel strongly to quiet the warm room. His gray eyes fell on Daniel. "Mr. Daniel Zachary Colter, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Son of Nathaniel Ezra Colter and Helewise Faye Bennett. Half-brother of Killian Ramsey Jones. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Is it true your brother is First Mate aboard the Devil's Hangman?" Murmurs erupted again and Daniel refused to look around to the condemnatory stares. "Mr. Colter?"

"Yes, it is."

The man nodded turning a page over in front of him. "Is it true you were once Quartermaster of the Devil's Hangman?" Daniel nodded. "Any reason you left piracy behind?"

"The…pillaging. It was too much for me. The killing."

"Please confirm the facts of Regina Mills' curse."

He frowned but complied. "Immortality. Unbeating heart. Muted emotions. Extreme bouts of anger…"

"Go on."

"Insatiable sexual appetite."

"What are the terms of this curse?"

"She must find someone to love her or she'll forever be curse to sail the seas."

"Did you have sexual relations with this woman? Did you love her?"

"I don't see how this is relevant to anything. If I loved her she wouldn't still be cursed. You have to love all that she is. A monster, a thief…a slag." The court filled with whispers. Daniel hated to use the word against Regina knowing the measure of pain she carried with her if she didn't quell her urges but he hoped the use would shorten his interrogation.

"Weaknesses?"

"None. Unless you have her True Love lying around somewhere. She's immortal." He stated sarcastically. "What is this about?"

"None of your concern, Mr. Colter." The Commander said dismissively. "I have here…Commission charter… granting extraordinary powers in matter both governmental and military. And the warrant for the arrest of one Daniel Colter."

The doors behind Daniel open loudly and men dressed red and white storm the room, coming for him. Two of the men pull him from his chair and he instinctively fights back. Twisting and elbowing against their grips to no avail, his head shoots up to the Commander. "On what charges! I've done nothing!"

"I'm afraid that's just not true. The charge is for aiding and abetting a convict, charged for 47 crimes against the Crown and Empire. For which the punishment is also death, by hanging."

"No…" Daniel jerked from the men's grip, again unsuccessful.

"There is a way out. You have a family I understand and for that I give you the option to assist in the retrieval and detainment of pirate lord, Regina Mills. For which, all charges against you will be dropped."

"How?"

"We will let you know." The Commander said, waving his hand at the soldiers. They released Daniel. "For now don't leave the mainland unless it's on a Navy ship on its way to obliterate the Hangman's crew and take its captain prisoner."

"My brother is on that ship," Daniel argued.

"Your brother made his choice. He will face death along with his captain and crew. 36 crimes against the Crown and Empire. I have his warrant here. Believe me, Mr. Colter, if you interfere or refuse I will make sure your family shares in your punishment."

* * *

Neal stared at the compass around his neck, hanging by a chain. It never actually pointed him in the right direction but he kept it anyway. His first treasure. He grinned at the flash of memory before he heard the sounds of boots hitting the floorboards. He looked up to the captain, examining his leg as she came up to him. Her hands were clasped behind her and her back was ramrod straight.

"Morning, Captain."

"Mr. Neal." Regina bowed her head slightly. "How are we?"

"Better. Still hurts though but I'll be back on deck in no time," Neal said in determination.

"You're a lucky young man. Most don't survive the first night. Or the second…"

"Lucky I am." Neal nodded. "Captain?"

"Yes?"

"Does it still hurt?"

"Yes." Regina tightened her jaw. "Always has. Always will but it won't kill me. I'm cursed."

"Were you different before the curse?"

"Very. I was a pirate. A pirate. Free. I wanted what every pirate wanted. Immortality and gold." Regina sat down on the edge of his cot. "Now, gold means nothing. I only hunt for it if only to keep my crew satisfied. To be slave to the devil I must sail to find the souls he wants and for that I need a crew. Cursed and they're cursed with me."

"Must be miserable."

Regina nodded her agreement, "Why are you a pirate, boy? You're young and kind."

"Your stories-"

"Don't say me. If you're here to be a pirate because you want to be a pirate, fine I'll make you a pirate. But if there is even small part of you here because of stories, when we dock on land you must leave and never come back. Don't think of me ever again. And your children raise them well. And tell them of Hangman and its cursed captain and if that does not stray them away, so be it." Neal looked at her, seeing pain within her intense stare. She was right about him. Kind and caring, no place on a pirate ship. His eyes stung with tears, hearing the pain in her voice. She looked indifferent but her eyes pleaded with him.

"Don't be foolish like your father. Or Killian's father. Don't feed them stories of my adventures. Tell them of my pain. Tell them how I suffer. Tell them how death and loneliness haunts me as it does my crew. You understand me, boy?"

"Yes, Captain." A sad smile came over her lips and she patted his cheek. She stood to leave him to rest. "The loneliness…It doesn't have to hurt. There's someone."

"You shouldn't be a pirate, Mr. Neal. You're too good for that."

* * *

"Emma?" Thea chuckled quietly. Emma blinked out of her thoughts and looked back to her sister. She blushed at having been caught. Thea knew what she was thinking about. "I know she's pretty and all but daydreaming about her doesn't benefit anyone does it."

Thea shook her head continued to mess with the older blonde's hair. It was still damp from the dive they took into the water early at sunrise when they both were the only two up aside from Regina looking out into the sea and the cook working hard below deck. It was her idea after Regina commented that they were in calm, undisturbed waters. Even if they hadn't been she doubt anything would come close to threaten the Hangman.

She took a few strands here and there as they sat there and braided them. Emma elbowed her and she'd told her, now that she was on the Devil's Hangman she had to look like a pirate not a princess. Emma had blushed at that and let her continue.

Thea stood up and walked over to a small chest sitting on the surface next to the bed and grabbed a handful of beads to add to her project she was making of her hair.

"I so missed you," Thea murmured, kissing her cheek. Emma smiled at the gesture. She slipped a scrap piece of parchment to her sister. Thea took it and glanced at the question. "Mother and father are okay. They're in France probably getting well-oiled together."

They shared a laugh at the image as Thea took a green bead, "They never got over you going missing. They did everything they could to find you but after a while we couldn't find anywhere else to look. We were miserable. It felt empty and they couldn't move on so I told them to gather all their money and go somewhere nice and try to be happy as much as they could."

Emma nodded her understanding. She had thought of her family the moment she saw Thea the morning after Regina had saved her. Pain was the first thing that she thought of but to see that Thea was okay and able to smile and her parents were off enjoying cheeses and sweet liquor, it was enough to give her some relief.

"Well, all done," Thea announced. Emma turned to her and gave a hug, not even thinking of her hair.

The door to the rooms opened and Regina stepped in. Her brown eyes always looked over to where she knew Emma was but seeing the scene she averted her eyes and walked over to her desk. Hugging and kissing always made her uncomfortable when it didn't involve sex.

"Hey, Captain," the younger blonde called. Regina looked up to her. "How does she look? Like pirate?"

The brunette watched Emma give her a shy smile but despite the sweet look she glanced back down to her map, "No…" Emma smiled faltered at the answer and Thea glared at the woman.

"Come on, Mills. What the hell?"

"Between the three women on this ship, there are two Ps. Pirate," Regina pointed to herself and then pointed to them, "And princess. _Theo_ , you can be a pirate if you like but Emma…you should stay a clean and proper princess. Life looks much better that way."

"Ass…" Thea muttered and Emma elbowed her in the ribs. The younger blonde scrambled off the bed and frowned between her sister and their captain. "Alright, fine. My apologies your majesty."

"Forgiven," Regina murmured dismissively waving her hand at Thea's retreating form. Her eyes stayed glued to her map with her compass clutched tightly in her hand. Emma watched her for a moment before standing up from the bed wearing only one of Regina's soft green shirts.

The brunette grimaced at herself for the shot of arousal that moved down her spine and between her legs. She'd barely seen anything except Emma's bare legs. Somehow that was enough for her hunger to appear.

Usually it was never as bad except for the fact that now two other women, attractive women, were aboard the ship and they were always in her bed. Normally that meant they were frequently having sex but that not being the case was the reason for her being mostly drunk during the night and watching the waves from the helm.

She eyed the bottle at the edge of her desk, finding that having a few dozen drinks would quell the throbbing between her thighs. Emma watched her shift in her seat and walked over to her. She reached out for her shoulder and Regina gasped lightly, gripping the edge of her desk sharply.

"Emma…" Regina gritted, biting her lip until the metallic tang flooded her taste buds. The blonde tucked a beaded strand of hair behind the older woman's ear and stumbled back in shock as Regina turned in her chair, grapping her tightly by the waist.

The room was suddenly excruciatingly hot and Regina's chest rose and fell with desperate heaves. Emma flinched lightly at the pain of her finger nails digging into her sides. Her thoughts on how to respond to this came up blank as she felt soft hands travel down below where the shirt stopped at the middle of her thighs and began to push it upward.

She'd given sex a thought at least once since she'd been rescue from her prison. Of course it involved Regina but she didn't think the woman would look to be in so much pain. It was too soon for it anyway; they'd just met but she doubted that normally stopped the older woman from indulging in her urge.

The shirt was pushed up to her ribs and Regina leaned into her stomach. Her resistance was crumbling faster than it ever had before and the pirate knew her demented master had something to do with it. His magic was crawling up her sides. Taking a deep breath, Regina bit into Emma's waist, careful not to break the skin. The blonde didn't move. Didn't push her away. And she also didn't tense up either.

The struggle within the older woman made her angry. She couldn't understand who would curse someone like her. She was a cruel, vulgar pirate but she still a person. Still kind and almost caring. Understanding, that the woman had no control and seeing that she was fighting herself, she shoved Regina back into her chair.

The brunette looked stunned and grateful all at the same time. Emma shook her head and wondered how much torture the woman in front of her had endured. The devil was in control of Regina and was making her suffer even now. For this. It was sickening.

"I'm sorry, Emma," Regina said shamefully. Emma stared at the blood running down the woman's chin from the how hard she was biting the inside of her lip.

The blonde shook her head and touch her cheek gently, silently telling her it was okay. Regina turned away and grabbed her quill, dipping it in ink and scribbling something with a shaking hand. She tore the corner off the parchment and held it out to Emma.

"Take this to Jones. He'll know what to do." Emma nodded and took it from her. "On the back…give it to the cook. He needs to give that to Neal for his recovery."

The blonde moved to grab some pants and Regina shakily reached out for the full bottle of rum. As she brought the cold glass to her lips, stopping as Emma walked to the door, "Please take your time, Miss Swan."

Emma knew that meant she would have to find a way to pass the time until Regina was better. Although she wasn't sure if she'd ever be better.

As soon as the guards closed the doors behind her an agonizing, frustrated scream rattled the ship. The waves around them turned violent, shoving the boat back and forth. Thunder clattered over them and Emma turned back to the door, not wanting to leave her in there alone. The guards at the door stepped in her way, shaking their heads sadly at her.

The blonde frowned and reluctantly moved to give messages to who Regina instructed her to.

* * *

After having a near silent argument with the normally quiet guards, Killian brushed passed the men. He closed the door behind him cringing as his boot clad foot came down on a piece of broken glass. A sigh ghosted over his lips when his eyes connected with the ruined room. It'd been five years sailing with Regina and not once had he seen such a mess. Although he was sure she'd never resisted temptation as strongly as she had with Emma Swan only a few hours ago.

"Captain," he called, pushing a chair aside. The woman was hidden somewhere in the ruins and he had a feeling she was probably passed out. He glanced to the bed tucked against the wall. It was untouched. The rest of the place couldn't be given the same description. "Captain?"

Killian walked around the desk stepping over exactly seventeen empty bottles rolling across the floor from the gentle rocking of the ship. Usually she was very amusing when she was irritated and intoxicated but instead of smirking and shaking his head at her muttering, his face fell into a sad expression.

She was slumped against the wall behind her desk. Her eyes were red rimmed but she hadn't shed a tear. Blood and sweat and whiskey stained her shirt and her chin. A blade was in one hand, laid in her lap, and the other had a weak grip on the bottle of half consumed liquor. The scar on her chest was showing under her ripped shirt and her pants had been torn at the crotch and down the inside of her left leg.

"You've made a mess of yourself, love," he said bending down and plucking the neck of the bottle from her still shaking hand. She didn't physically acknowledge that she was aware of his presence but Killian was certain that she knew he was there.

After a moment of silence, she finally looked up to him and laughed humorlessly, leaning her head back against the wall. Her hand gripped the blade tighter and traced the sharp point around the inside of her thigh, leaving a pink mark in its wake.

Self-harm wasn't new to Regina as in her first few years under her curse left her in a deep depression. Killian knew that but she'd taken it a bit farther than that. Aside from the raised skin from the knife, the blood smeared against the inside of her legs was what startled the man. Her ripped pants revealed the undergarment stained with blood.

Regina noticed his stare, "Just maybe it would work."

Killian ripped the knife from her hand and frowned down at her, "Craving at your crotch ain't gonna solve your problems Captain."

"I know that," she sneered. "There's glass everywhere." She gestured around them, "No matter how much I drank, it wouldn't go away. I had to relieve myself…" He nodded his understanding and sat the bottle down on the desk. She flashed her palms, showing the glass planted in the skin.

"I'll have Thea come and clean you up," her first mate said, leaving the room almost immediately.

As he stepped out of the room, the person he was searching for was already walking by. He grabbed her by the arm and took her to the side where no one could hear. The blonde snatched her arm back with a grimace, "What do you want?"

"I need you to go back in there."

"Look, I spend too much time in there as is. I sleep in a room with the rest of the deck hands and the only question I get asked is if the captain is a good fuck." Killian gave a look of disgust at that. "Don't get started on how many of them ask me about bedding my sister. It's sick but they don't know I'm woman…and that Emma is my blood."

"I understand that but unless you want to subject your sister to the experience of a mutiny, I'd suggest you go fix Her Majesty up."

"Fix?"

"I don't know," he hissed. "Tend to her wounds…sober her up. Warm her bed."

"Warm her bed?" Thea questioned, about ready to throw her hat at him. "We're not lovers-"

"She's in…a very bad way. Worse than I've seen."

"How badly…?"

"There's bottle everywhere. The room looks pillaged and because of the broken glass…she's cut herself in the nether regions. Just tend to it," Killian said dismissively, spotting a few of the new crew slacking off on their duties. Thea opened her mouth to speak but he was already scolding the young men.

The blonde sighed and walked to the captain's quarters, slowly opening the door after having heard of the state of the room. Her breath got lodged in her throat at the destroyed room.

"…bloody hell am I supposed to be fixin'?" she murmured.

There was a crunch of glass across the room and she quickly moved over to see the real damage. A concerned look passed over her face seeing the normally poised, in her own way, woman tiredly laying on her side, surrounded by empty decanters and shattered glass.

"Can't believe I thought you had it easy. You're a sad creature…" Thea sighed moving around the room in search of things to fix up the Hangman's captain. Regina didn't respond to her comments and only laid in the same spot when Thea came back with a cloth soaked in water. The blonde knelt down in front of her and pressed it to her sweating forehead. The brunette's skin was flushed and hot and Thea was sure this wouldn't be a quick endeavor to be rid of. She felt Regina's cheek and put light pressure on her wrist. "You drank all these?"

She received a weak nod from the older woman and rolled her eyes, pulling the woman up into a sitting position. Regina didn't resist which made it easy but she wasn't much help to herself. Thea kept the wet cloth to her head as she used her other hand to check her for injuries. Most of them were already healed and scarring except for the glass stuck in her skin.

"Well, you'll sleep like the dead tonight. You'll need it." After a while longer in complete silence Thea silently prodded the woman to get up and into her desk chair but it took a lot of effort. She still got her result but Regina was too stoned and out of it to really be at her best.

She got her a glass filled to the top with water and didn't receive a single protest for it as she gently started to pull the glass from her hand, "Pull yourself together, Captain Mills. There's no place for pussies on this boat. Especially you."

That earned her a smirk and Thea wiped away a smear of blood off her face before dipping it back into the tainted water to squeeze it out and find a spot to clean once again. Her eyes fell to the biggest problem in the room and she sat back on her heels, easing her out of the ripped leather pants and then cautiously beginning to take away her underwear as well, "Is that healed?"

Regina nodded, looking down into the glass of water. She flinched at the sudden coldness against the stinging red lines on her inner thighs but gasped at the light kiss that followed each dab. Her hand reached out to the blonde hair and lost her fingers in the falling tresses, wanting to pull her head forward. This would satisfy her in a way her own hands couldn't. She knew no matter what, her tormentor wouldn't let the sunset for her without having indulged.

Thea continued her task of cleaning up all traces of the blood before sitting the now reddened cloth aside and pushing Regina's glass onto the desk. She knew the look of a struggle in the brunette's eyes and decided it would be less painful for everyone if she took burden of making the choice for the pirate.

She grabbed Regina's wrists with each hand, holding them on either side of her hips. The woman's brow creased and she pressed a kiss to the top of her thigh, "Close your eyes."

Brown eyes met baby blues and the blonde chuckled, "I said close your eyes, not look at me." Regina slipped her eyes closed as told and closed her fingers around Thea's wrists. Decidedly, taking complete control she pressed her lips higher up her leg before taking her tending, gently, to the heated core in front of her. Regina bucked forward in surprise but didn't attempt to move her hands or stop it as she hissed at the sensitive bud that had been the bane of her existence the entire day.

Damn _it_.

Damn Emma Swan.

Damn her curse.

Thea pulled back feeling the hands over her wrists start to tremble, "You'll well on your way to recovery by sunrise."

* * *

_The breeze blowing through her hair served as her favorite part of coming home. The smell of the beach during midday made it feel like she was six again being chased by her father in the sand._

_Regina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It was the first breath she'd gotten in piece without her crew causing mayhem around her. Telling them to stay on the ship was probably the best idea she'd had for them. Especially while she was home._

_She walked forward to the house hiding just behind the bushes and trees. Anyone else would've walked into the big mansion if their parents had lived there but Regina wasn't ready to even look at her mother after having found out what she'd done._

_As much as she wanted to avoid her, it was nearly impossible when she found herself at her father's grave, placing his favorite flowers at his headstone. Freesia flowers practically blew around them all the time in the summer. They became her favorite too._

_"I wondered if you'd ever come back," Cora said coming around to her. She stood on the other side of the headstone. Henry between them like always._

_"What do you want mother?" Regina sneered, pulling away the small freesia she had tucked behind her ear._

_"I had to see for myself that it was really you," the older woman reasoned. "Not many ships come to a stop, blocking out the afternoon light from my study."_

_"I only came to visit father. I'll be leaving in a moment."_

***** _"You don't have to go," Cora frowned reaching out to her. Regina away from her touch and she snatched her hand back like it'd been burned. The brunette turned away from her and she sighed, "Desculpe, eu nao queria."_

_Regina's eyes widened and her eyes snapped up to her mother, "What did you just say?"_

_"Eu peco desculpas por-" The older woman began only to stop at Regina's raised hand._

_"You…you speak-"_

_"I learned after your father died. He was a wonderful man who deserved a better woman than I was. His death was my fault. What happened to you was my fault. And I'm truly sorry for that. Eu sei que isso e imperdoavel…"_

_"Unforgivable?" Regina scoffed. "I'm cursed. A better fate would have been to let me perish from the Dragon Sickness. Daddy would still be alive."*_

_"I know," Cora nodded. "I know. His blood and your freedom are on my hands. If I could I would change everything I've done, Regina. I would've been better for you…for your father."_

_"Now you regret everything." Regina shook her head in disbelief._

_"Of course I regret everything now," Cora responded sadly. "I have nothing left. Tragedy can force someone to realize that they are too late fix what they've broken."_

_"You did this to me," Regina shouted._

_"I know, sweetheart. I wish I could save you from this. When he'd said he would make you queen, I was so consumed with wanting power I didn't even think that that demon would do this to you. I thought you would be happy."_

_"Your idea of happiness and mine are different, mother. Very different. Now I'm stuck like this! Doing the devil's bidding. All I am is an alcoholic, lustful murderer. And I wasn't that before."_

_"Lustful?"_

_"I have sexual urges several times a day. I have a craving to kill people. And the only way to break this eternal curse is to find someone to love this monster I've become."And that's just not possible."_

_Cora fell silent at the new information. All of this was far from what she thought it would be. Honestly, she felt beyond ashamed for her behavior in that moment. Her mind was barely on saving her daughter. Hearing that she'd be queen was enough. It was a disgusting feeling._

_"I suppose that is my curse as well then." Regina frowned at her . "Losing everything and being so heartless that I couldn't save you from this. So you go now…"_

_"Mother-" Cora grabbed her arms._

_"And find the man…or woman who will love you better than I. Love you like you've always deserved."_

_The brunette pulled away and started to leave. She was sure emotions should've been spilling out on both sides in that moment but she couldn't help but feel…nothing. At least nothing too deep. Ten years under her curse she knew there was no point being angry forever. And although, she didn't feel the need to cry or fall into her mother's arms, she did stop. She turned to her mother looking after her sorrowfully._

_"You are forgiven…mother," Regina said just loud enough for her to hear before she continued to walk back to her ship._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have direct translation but I know what it's meant to say. Unhelpful family members…thanks a lot…
> 
> "You don't have to go," Cora frowned reaching out to her. Regina away from her touch and she snatched her hand back like it'd been burned. The brunette turned away from her and she sighed, "I'm sorry, I did not want this."
> 
> Regina's eyes widened and her eyes snapped up to her mother, "What did you just say?"
> 
> "I apologize for-" The older woman began only to stop at Regina's raised hand.
> 
> "You…you speak-"
> 
> "I learned after your father died. He was a wonderful man who deserved a better woman than I was. His death was my fault. What happened to you was my fault. And I'm truly sorry for that. I know this is unforgivable…"
> 
> "Unforgivable?" Regina scoffed. "I'm cursed. A better fate would have been to let me perish from the Dragon Sickness. Daddy would still be alive."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Sex, Torture, Mentions of Rape & Prostitution, Language, Heavy Alcohol Use, Brief Self Harm, etc. *Completely slipped my mind to add Human Trafficking as a warning*
> 
> *Warning for graphic hetero smut if it bothers anyone*

Pirates ruled the seas. One hundred years of declared war and one woman to lead them all. A woman who wanted none of the power and the suffering that came with being the Queen.

Regina woke to an empty bed. No Thea. No Emma. Only herself and her wet sheets. The sweating nightmares suddenly sprung upon her were becoming tiring. And on top of that, Ruby wouldn't appreciate her state. She was immortal but it didn't mean that when the alcohol and the nightmares and the urges interrupted her wellbeing, she didn't look sickly pale and thinner than she had been when she left. She did.

She slipped from her messy bed and glanced into the mirror. Naked from the waist up and all bones. The brunette turned away looking to dress and start another long day at sea.

" _Look at you_." A voice startled her and she pulled a pistol from its hidden spot in her clothes. There was no one there and she frowned, lowering the pistol slightly.

"Who's there?"

" _No one but you_."

"Where are you?"

" _Right here. Just come a little closer, Captain_."

The voice sounded too familiar for her liking and Regina reluctantly turned back to the mirror. Her reflection smirked back at her. Full garb and feather tricorn. It looked every bit of the pirate she didn't feel like anymore. Confident. Ruthless. A Queen. All those things, the opposite of herself.

"What are you?" Regina questioned the reflection.

" _Well, I'm you. A…better you, I suppose_." The reflection took a seat on a bed that was hers but neater, silk shining in the morning light. Regina tightened her grip on her pistol and stepped closer to the mirror, pressing her hand gently into the glass. Her reflection raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement. " _I can't hurt you and you can't hurt me_."

Regina sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "What do you want? How are you there?"

" _Don't ask questions you don't know the answer to. If you don't know, then I surely don't. What I want? Well, I want everything you want. To be rid of this curse. To drink. To find the treasure of my deepest desires. To…_ " The reflection grinned thoughtfully. " _To have that pretty princess writhing underneath me, screaming to her gods and praising my adroit fingers and deft tongue_."

Regina turned her head away from her bold twin and tried not to acknowledge the involuntary blush that tinted her cheek.

Her reflection laughed in amusement, standing up from her seated position and moved close to the mirror. " _Oh, don't be embarrassed. I'm you. You're me. We have the same desire for this Em-ma. Of course, all those things are a pirate's desire. Your entire crew may have all these desires but I'm here because you need me_."

"Need you for what? We're the same." Regina frowned.

" _No, I'm what you want to be. I'm the part of your mind that knows how to survive. You've created me, after last night let's not be surprised, hm?_ "

"Well, then? Go on and tell me what I need."

" _I'm not going to tell you everything. I'm going to tell you what you need in this very moment. You're letting this curse break you. Fight it_."

"I am."

" _No. You're not fighting anything. Not anything significant at least. There's a war going on and you're meant to lead it. So, what you're going to do is lead. You are the Queen of Pirates. Don't be weak, Captain, be a pirate. Be the best part of your little tale. The strong, unbowed part."_

The reflection vanished and Regina could see the difference between them now more than a moment ago. She was quite literally wasting away in the middle of a war. Her pistol dropped to the edge of bed just as the doors opened.

James stepped in with his head bowed. "Captain."

"James."

"I suppose you wanted time alone but do you need my assistance?" He questioned, slowly looking up to her, trying to avoid looking at her bare chest.

"Actually…yes." Regina glanced to the mirror.

"Yes?"

"Dress me."

James tightened his jaw and covertly rolled his eyes as he walked over to her drawers and pulled the first things he saw. He worked in silence applying the salve to her ever aggravated chest wound, getting her out of her clothes still remaining, and dressing her in white linen and hard leather pants. Regina smirked at his furrowed brow, working through her corset but he did it better alone than three of the girls back home.

"I must admit I do fancy this." Regina said lowly, holding a decanter of rum. The ship rocked lightly and James paused his movements. He looked up into her eyes. A spark of mischief and ferocity hinted in her dark eyes. James pulled his hands away from her coat and in response she pulled him closer to her by the neck of his shirt.

Regina sat the rum down and brought her other hand up to his shirt as well. He pulled back at first but did not resist when she continued to lean in, giving into her sudden hunger. James gripped the tricorn in his hand and looked into her intense stare. Without prompting, he leaned forward and captured her lips.

Just then the doors opened once again and Killian stepped through, ready to scold James for intruding on the woman after the night he knew she had. Instead he found the younger man lip locked with his captain. James pulled away giving barely a glance back at him with hooded eyes and transferred the tricorn to Regina's hand as she was no longer grasping his shirt.

"Thank you." Regina nodded and he returned it.

"My…pleasure." James responded glancing at her now smeared red lips and leaving.

Killian eyed him questioningly as he slipped passed him and then looked to Regina who was too busy wiping off her lips and reapplying the deep red to notice his expression. He walked forward, looking around suspiciously and noticed the pistol and bottle of rum. "I was worried it was too soon for you...Interaction with the crew may be…unwanted. You were in a very bad way…"

Regina glanced to the mirror and then smirked over at him as she placed the tricorn on to her head.

"Well, I'll notify the crew…captain's back."

"Shame, I left, isn't it?" Regina holstered her pistol and equipped her sword.

"Great shame." Killian nodded, eagerly leaving out of her quarters in a dash.

Regina gave it a few minutes before she followed him out, steeling herself against anything that may happen when she sees Emma again. Thea had tried to assure her that there was no harm done to Emma but Regina refused to hear it. At some point resisting urges that rose in Emma's presence would be impossible but hopefully it never got that far. Emma should be long gone from her life the moment she can't fight herself off at least for a little while.

She stepped out of her quarters, nodding to the two guards. They looked down at her skeptically, surprised by her appearance. The crew murmured and chattered as she made her way up to the helm.

Almost immediately Smee and Killian were on her like the plague. Killian looked excited and Smee looked anxious but the man always looked that way.

"What is it?" Regina kept her face stoic despite the two different expressions in front of her.

"A merchant ship, Captain." Killian said searching her face. "We could use whatever we find on that ship."

"You're opposed?" Regina questioned Smee.

"I…well…"

"Do we not need it?"

"We do but must we have conflict?"

"You forget you're a pirate, Quartermaster." Regina shoved him aside and walked over to the wheel, overlooking the ship. Many eyes looked up to her and she tried not to search for Emma in the crowd but it was a bit disappointing that she could spot her blonde curls in the crowd.

Her first mate noticed her pensive expression. "Captain? Orders?"

"We take it."

"Man your stations, lads!" Killian shouted. "Looks like we have a raid on our hands."

The crew started to scramble around the deck and rumbling sounded from below. Killian stepped up next to Regina and looked over his shoulder to the sailing master. "Turner, take us in."

"Yes, sir." The man replied and threw orders to the boatswain.

"I see you're back, Mills."

"Aye." Regina said shortly.

"Any reason for that, Captain?"

"None of your business, First Mate."

"Ah, secrets."

"Don't start with me Jones. You have your captain." The man tensed slightly as she turned to him. Yes, his old captain was back but unfortunately she brought all of her former self. The fire. The cruelty. And the fear. "Any more problems you'd like to address, Mr. Jones?"

"Increase speed." Killian commanded and the ship paused and quickly started to speed up from the power of the crew. "Good to have you back, Regina. I was starting to worry you were lost."

"They see us coming…feel it." Turner cackled.

Regina nodded to Killian and clasped her hands behind her back watching the merchant ship get closer and closer. A silent command caused a fog to rise from the surface of the water and the black flag fluttered in the morning breeze. All of it excited the crew and made the cagey cabin boys anxious. Due to the Hangman's cultural mix, their attacks often involved low thundering drums and bass horns that shook the waters.

It terrified the prey and Regina loved the kill when they were scared.

"What are they doing?" James questioned appearing behind her.

"They are prey." Regina smirked and turned around to him. "Even then, they must at least try to fight me off." The ship shook at the cannonballs suddenly smashing into the water around them. James raised an eyebrow and she just shrugged. "Never say every ship will do it well. Good with a gun, boy?"

"I can be."

"Take a rifle and join the others. Target practice will do you good."

"Aye, Captain." The younger man grinned and left off to get a rifle.

"Fire the cannons." Regina called and the deck rattled with the firing of seven cannons simultaneously.

"Three hits, Captain!" Someone yelled as she descended to the deck where a few cabin boys and her most experienced shooters stood waiting for instruction. Most of them were covered in face paint wearing garbs native to their countries.

She walked the length of the lined men. "Shoot to kill. Don't be seen. Understood?"

"Aye, Captain." Most of them verbally acknowledge and others nodded. She glanced up to the two in the crow's nest and they nodded as well.

"Captain, all precious cargo is as safe as can be for now." Killian said coming up to her with a rifle in his hands. A grateful look passed over her face at his words knowing the only things considered precious cargo to her were the two other women on her ship. "Ready when you are."

He looked down the barrel of the rifle and Regina touched his shoulder with her renewed seductive charm. Killian glanced at her and listened as she whispered in his ear. When she stepped away, he found a target aboard the merchant ship and fired one single shot.

The world seemed to go silent as everyone's eyes followed the shot until it tore through a man's chest, dropping him dead.

On queue, the attack commenced.

* * *

The captain watched as his ship was torn apart and his men lay everywhere, slain by bullets coming from seemingly phantom rifles on the ship next to them. Everywhere he looked blood and debris.

The end was upon them and he knew deep down that it was imminent. Especially seeing the black flag waving proudly over them. A ship ten times the size of his own. Impenetrable haul. A silhouette of a woman through the fog.

"Dear god." His murmured to himself. His eyes looked around. Death and suffering. Hopelessness. Only one woman could cause so much of it at this magnitude. "It's her…"

An explosion sounded over his head and a member of his crew thudded into the floor next to his feet. His arm was destroyed and there was a hole in his chest.

"Fall back!" He ordered to those who still remained alive. He fled alongside some of the crew, trying to escape into a barricaded room. Two men were shot dead around him and were quickly forgotten. Others grabbed what guns they held and kept moving.

In total, twenty men made it inside including the captain. The heavy doors were closed behind them as the ship violent groaned and rocked from the impact of their attacking ship coming close enough to touch.

He placed a plank of wood over the door and peeked through the opening to see the last of his men be shot down.

"Muskets at the ready."

Twenty hammers were pulled back and twenty barrels were pointed towards the barrier between them and the outside of their destroyed ship. Everything became quiet leaving only the water and shaky breathes to fill the silence.

They all jumped back, ready to run rather than shoot, when a body collided with the door. A face appeared in the slot and hands gripped the corners. "Please, sir! Let me in!"

"Move away from the door!" The captain demanded and his first mate frowned at him.

"We can't leave him." He said back.

"Move away from the door!"

"Let him in!"

"Mr. Long, I won't hesitate to shoot." A pistol was pointed at the first mate as the man's pleads continued outside the door until he choked and then stiffened as death overtook him. The captain squinted through the slot seeing nothing except fog consume the deck. Through the silence creaks and shuffles echoed off the air.

"Have they gone?" A deck hand asked.

The dooming horns started again, sounding like a giant growling beast ready to kill. Although that may have been exactly what the Devil's Hangman was. A growling, hungry beast.

Then there were howls and chants. Stomping feet rattled the floorboards. And it all began to get closer. The chants got faster and the horns got louder.

The first mate moved to a wall and edged over to peek out of the slot. He could spot anyone through the fog. Something rolled towards them. A barrel. He didn't say anything and looked back to the captain who moved back behind the rest of the crew.

Just as his back hit the wall an explosion blasted through the door, killing six of his men instantly. His ears rung and his vision twisted. In the smoke and fog, men with tribal marks and odd clothing appeared shooting and stabbing anyone in sight.

A tall, pale man with black eyes and three red lines on his forehead was the first to become clear to him. And in the second that it took to really see him, he was pushing his sword into one of his men and with a swipe, his head was removed from his shoulders. Much the same fate came to a lot of his crew.

Beheaded.

Shot.

He pointed his pistol out towards the fight but he couldn't focus. All the blood hazed his eyes. The screams made his hands shake. And the savage yells of the intruding men as they murdered his crew could've made him go deaf.

One of them came for him and he tried to shoot. His bullet hit one of his own men. He dropped the gun and watched the bloody sword raise, ready to take his head as well.

"Enough!" A voice called through the fog outside. The sword stopped to his relief.

He turned to the blown doorway and tensed as the captain of the Hangman herself became clear as day to his burning eyes.

"Aye, love. Looks terrified, eh?" Killian smirked pulling the black banana covering his mouth and nose down.

"You…" the other captain stuttered. "The Queen…"

Regina walked up to him looking satisfied with her crew's work of his. She stepped over his first mate's body. She swaggered over him sticking her bloody index finger in mouth and sucking it clean with a pop. She crouched down in front of him and used the same finger to lift his chin.

"You know me."

"Queen of the Damned." He snatched his chin away and Killian raised his blade, pressing the tip of it into his neck. She raised her hand to tell him it was fine.

"Then I expect you know what comes next, hm?"

"Please! Please!" They turned to source, finding a young man looking frantically up at part of her crew standing over him. "Don't kill me. I don't want to die."

"Yours, yes?" Regina snickered. She looked to Killian. "Round all the survivors up."

"Aye, Captain." He turned to the man under his sword as Regina walked out. "Up now. We're going to have fun."

Seven men were removed from the room and were forced on their knees with ten more that happened to survive somehow outside. They were surrounded by just eleven people dozens more stealing what was left of their supplies and valuables.

Regina reappeared, fingers and fingers only cleaned of blood. The captain shivered.

"Most of them are willing to join our ship." Killian announced.

"Oh, is that so?" Regina grinned. She looked at all of them. "There are three dead women on this ship. Unfortunately, for you lot I'm not feeling very forgiving or generous today."

"So?"

"Kill them." Regina ordered, walking away.

"No toys?" Killian laughed. "Trophies to bed."

"I'll find one."

* * *

The crew drunk in celebration of their successful raid below the deck in the mess hall. Cheers and song and clinking glasses filled the ship. Instruments hummed melodies that rippled against the water. Passing ships, a mile away could hear it all but it seemed to be subdued to the interior of the captain's quarters.

The room was dimly lit with a few candles. The air was warm and thick with tension.

Sweat glistened in the low light and the silence was filled with the gentle creaking of the wood frame of the bed. Pants and soft moans echoed around the two residing in the room.

Blue eyes stared up into the dark brown as Regina hovered over a man. He tightened his fingers around his restraints, letting out deep breaths. He glanced down his torso to her hips rocking on top of him and fought the urge to reach out to her – as if he could had a choice – and force her to move faster.

The dagger she gripped in her hands drew weightless circles and swirls against his rigid abdomen. Somehow it added to the pleasure despite the stings it created.

A contraction tugged his pelvis and he let out a gasp. Regina smirked down at him and started to slow down to an even more agonizing pace. "Do you like this?" She whispered into his ear the moment she leaned down close to his face.

"Yes." He breathed out against her cheek. He twisted his wrists and parted his legs despite the ties around his ankles.

"How long have you been on my ship?"

"Four winters, Captain."

"Are you here against your will?" She asked, leaning away from his face.

"No, ma'am. I would never squander the opportunity to sail with you or make presence in your bed." The man husked out and then closed his eyes as the brunette torturously sped up on his aching manhood. When he opened his eyes, she was glaring down at him with cold eyes. She raised her free hand off his chest and slapped him across the face.

"How do you address me?" Regina hissed, digging her fingers into his chin.

"My Captain." He sighed almost contently, starting to feel himself tighten as she continued the torment of slowly rolling her hips. Even if she couldn't feel it the signs were obvious. His eyes were moments from rolling to the back of his head and his lower body tensed. And then there was of course the feeling of familiar pressure in her own pelvis.

"I felt that. Hold it until I say otherwise." She smacked him again and lifted herself off of him, enjoying the frustrated groan that escaped him. "What was your name again?"

"Garrick, Captain."

"Garrick." She repeated thoughtfully. "You were on Pan's ship weren't you?"

"Yes but I'm here to serve…" He eyed his reddened member and grimaced at how it was practically pulsing with need. "…and please you."

"I suppose you're doing a decent job."

He watched her move back over to him and she settled down on top of his stomach. Her center was warm and obviously wet. Regina smirked as he started to tremble in his attempt to hold back until she allowed him to finish. His stiff arousal rested at the arch of her back becoming agitated at the movement caused by her breathing.

"No one on this ship was… _filling_ enough." Regina slid back on his stomach and then remounted him, starting back at her slow, agonizing thrusts. Garrick's groans came at a steady pace every time her hips jerked forward. She leaned down close to his face and for a moment, he almost thought she might kiss him but she didn't. She whispered to him instead. "I'm not finished. I'm not close so you wait until I am."

He pushed his head back deeper into the pillows, remembering her threat of cutting his throat if his hips moved against her. The thought served as a reminder that she was fucking him, not the other way around. Death wasn't what he wanted to think about while having this moment with the Queen of the Pirates.

She started to move more forcefully causing a hard groan from the bed with every thrust. The blue of his eyes disappeared behind his eyelids. Regina sucked in a sharp breath, digging into his flesh with the dagger in her hands.

She sighed and started to move as though she didn't want him to continue to restrain himself. Garrick pulled against the rope and started to pant faster. He looked at her when a small sound escaped her throat and she gave him a single nod as she learned forward against him, dropping the dagger and pressing her palms onto his reddened chest.

"Please." Garrick begged. "I can't…"

"You don't have to anymore." Regina stated, feeling the pit of her stomach contract just as he stopped resisting and grunted out his climax. A warm sensation filled her and stilled her thrusts. She closed her eyes and refused a moan, instead taking in a deep breath and letting one out slowly.

"I've never…wasn't it good?"

"Good enough." She smirked bending over to his face, their noses brushing. Her hands closed around his wrists, the rope loosening. Although he paid no mind as their lips connected for the first time. Without hesitation, he kissed her with passion that she lacked but paired well with her intensity. "I suppose you can be on the top this time." She whispered biting his bottom lip as the rope dropped to the pillows around his head.

* * *

Dawn broke out across the sky, leaving an orange hue to come through the window. Regina got out of bed, glancing back at the ship's rigger who was in a deep sleep. She stopped at the edge of her desk, finishing the forgotten drink there as the sea breeze moved across her face and through her hair.

They were nearing home again. Something in her made it feel like it would be the last time she'd dock in this port. Something didn't feel right but nothing ever did for her. Especially, since Emma arrived. The denial of Emma being special was starting to fade. But the thought of her being able to break her curse was laughable.

Despite her urges, being intimate with the younger woman didn't cross her mind without a lot of guilt racking over her. Well, as close to guilt as she could feel. It was really an annoying dull sensation in her body.

Emma was skin and bones. She was fresh off a slave ship. And a princess, as she'd referred to her as. Her place wasn't on the Devil's Hangman and she had no business being surrounded by pirates. Especially a pirate like herself.

The entrance to her quarters let in a breeze as James stepped in. His hands behind his back and chest out proudly. Obviously expecting to be kissed again after the previous day of boldness from his captain. Although that wasn't going to happen ever again.

"You honestly woke up and scurried into my quarters, leaving behind a woman in your bed?" Regina questioned with a knowing smirk and a raised eyebrow. She turned just in time to see his face turn pink. "I see you've acquainted yourself with Thea."

"I-"

"Who you share your nights with are none of my business, boy. Unless it interferes with the way ship is run."

"That won't happen, Captain." He assured with a firm nod.

"Good." She poured another glass of rum before turning back to the window.

"Do you need my assistance today, Captain Mills?"

"How long have you been doing this for me, Mr. James?"

"A month."

"I see." Her fingers grazed the top of the salve jar. "Where does your loyalty lie?"

"With you of course. I'd cut any man down who threatens you."

"You're violent. Your father was a Navy man wasn't he? Not right in the head afterwards?" James didn't bother to look surprised by the knowledge and just nodded. "What happened to him?"

"He struck my mother and she shot him…rightfully so. They had her executed. Hanged for murdering an officer of the British Navy. My father never asked to be a seaman and my mother never asked for a broken man to replace him upon his return. I hate them for what they did to my family."

"Rightfully so." She nodded. Her reasoning was almost similar. Her father hated the British government for several reasons and he never opposed when Regina was stealing from them and sinking their ships. "I like violent. I appreciate it. You've proven yourself to me and although Jones doesn't not trust you, I do. For that, I will pass your job along to the next cabin boy and I'll have you by my side in battle."

"Thank you, Captain Mills." He bowed his head and she tilted her head in acknowledgement. He turned to leave giving a glance to the man starting to wake up on her bed.

Without a word, Garrick stood up from the bed and searched for his clothes. Regina turned around to him and took an appreciative look at his naked form before he started pulling his clothes on. She gave thought to putting pants on herself but there wasn't much above mid thigh to see with the shirt she wore.

"You don't speak of anything that happened last night or you may find yourself stranded on an island somewhere, if I'm feeling generous, and don't just leave you to fend for yourself in the middle of the sea."

"Of course." Garrick nodded, pulling on his belt and sticking his feet back into his boots. He walked to the door sensing she was wanting to be alone now and bowed before leaving out the door. He paused for a moment and looked back at her. "Thank you, Captain."

* * *

The port grew quiet as the crew unloaded on the docks, a hooded captain leading the way. Many of them hurried off to taverns and others, more responsible, went in search of things to improve their journey on the seas.

Minus all of them that left James, Killian, a nearly recovered Neal, Emma and Thea, and Smee with their captain. No one except Killian was aware of the destination. It was something important as Regina had them dress for the occasion. All black and very threatening.

James and Killian wore black bandanas that covered their mouths and noses. Much to Regina's displeasure, Emma and Thea were both present and refused to be left behind. They both had to stay hidden as best as possible so Regina had them wear hooded cloaks over their black leather. Smee only wore a cloak as well but had his hood down as Regina liked to remind him that he was easily replaceable if he continued to refuse to do his job properly.

Neal was asked to help keep track of the ship since action was not something he could be involved in effectively. He agreed reluctantly, remembering Regina's words to him. She stared at him hoping to make him seriously consider leaving the Hangman. He silently refused.

The crowds parted, watching them step off the ship with three men restrained and blinded by sacks over their heads. James and Killian kept swords to the men with Emma and Thea behind them and Smee carrying a chest as he took up the back. People murmured their concerns and turned away as they walked by. Death passing them by, hopefully, in search of someone else.

Regina led them to the house that sat alone on a bare street. Down that street was a another pirate lord that none dared to cross, all except Regina. She'd do as she pleased and that's just what she did when they were met with resistance by guards who cared not for her piece or her status.

"It would be in your best interest to get out of my way." Regina warned when the men refused to move out of her way of the house.

"No one gets in. Especially if they ain't showing no face." The man said touching the tip of his sword to her chest. James moved but Regina stopped him with her hand.

"I'll handle it." She informed the crew. Everyone except Smee seemed to be ready to pull their swords. "How many of you are here? Ten?"

"Enough for you, pretty girl." He sneered with a dirty smile. "I'd have good time with you. 'Course the rest of 'em would like a turn."

"Very well." Regina nodded and Killian gave her a look.

Emma watched her sword appear from out of its sheath at her waist. She hadn't seen the woman since that night and she worried what might happen now. It seemed the pirate just wanted to keep her distance and Emma understood the reasons but the problem was that she wanted to spend time with her.

She wanted to stop her, but Thea grabbed her arm and shook her head.

"May want to avert your eyes. She spares no parts when she's partially drunk." Killian said back to them.

Emma frowned at him but jumped when she heard the sound of a sword start to cut through flesh continuously. Her eyes caught sight of an ear, severed from the rest of the body it belonged to and she forced herself and Thea to turn away.

She looked to ground and waited for the sounds to stop. The blood splattering on surfaces and the screams. Blood seeped through the cracks of the street and Emma watched it travel through the many cracks that led away from them.

She felt the anger coming off of Regina and like she had when she first started to trust her, she wanted to be able to stop the anger from plaguing her. She knew, physically, there was no way she could stop her but the woman seemed to understand her well enough through her eyes. It was just a matter of getting her to look in them.

A hand touched her shoulder and she turned around to Killian who nodded toward the now unguarded space in front of the house. Thea gasped at the bodies laying, dead on the ground. The blood stained everything and Emma bit her cheek, choosing to look away from it as best she could.

Regina forced the door opened to the house and they followed her inside. It was small. Two rooms and a cavern below the entire town that held _his_ treasures. The one man still inside sat at a table. He sat down his cup slowly and pulled a dagger from his sleeve and placed it next to the cup.

"I have a feeling I do not want to know but who are you and what do you want?" He questioned.

Regina pulled the coin from around her neck and tossed it to him. He examined it, turning it over in his hand twice before leaning back in his chair with a not too amused expression. He placed it down on the table and Regina pulled back her hood and leaned over to take it back.

"Captain Mills. What a…" He looked around them to the massacre outside. "Pleasant surprise. You've decided to kill every single man on my personal guard. That was unnecessary."

She sat down across from him and brandished her dagger, tainted with blood. Tauntingly, she brought her tongue across the blade before slamming it down in front of her. "I enjoyed it." She said with a serious expression.

She snapped her fingers and James, following Killian's lead, shoved their prisoners forward, snatching the sacks off of their heads. The dark man laughed, shaking his head at the sight. He picked up his knife and dug it into the table before tapping the tip against his tooth. "How did you manage that, hm? They've alluded me several times."

"They were on a merchant ship I burned down."

"Always with you and the burning." He sighed.

"I'm the Queen of Damned. I believe you could say the Queen of Death and Destruction as well." She quipped back, straightening her back. "Well?"

"Surely you have what they stole as well…"

She pointed a finger to the edge of the table and Smee scurried over and sat the chest down on the table. He opened it and pulled a wooden cross from it, handing it to the man. He took it, looking for a distinctive engraving before something of satisfaction came over his face. Smee placed it back inside and pushed the chest over to him.

"Give her her reward." He said and two men appeared from the other room. One chest, double the size of the one they'd came with. They dropped it on the table and opened the lid to flash the riches. Regina stood up and dipped her hand inside, letting the coins and rings fall between her fingers.

"I'll take this and something else as well." She stated, gesturing to Killian and James to take the chest.

"And what exactly is that?"

"I've arrived just in time for your celebrations. My crew likes parties. We'll talk then." He nodded his agreement and they exited the house, Regina leaving in front of Emma and Thea.

"Welcome to Demonreach, ladies." The man called after them in a voice that sent a chill up their spines. They both glanced back at him seeing a smile as sinister as they came and bright green eyes that glowed back at them. Emma pushed Thea's shoulder forcing her to look ahead of them again.

* * *

Ruby sighed watching Graham lounge on the couch across from her, exhaling puffs of smoke from his pipe. They'd been sitting in silence for longer than most would find comfortable. Bailey had scurried out muttering something about tending to the plants outside long ago.

"Do you have any information for me? Or are we just here to sit in each other's company?" Ruby questioned, running her fingers across the binding of the book in her hands.

"I'd like to think you enjoy my company but I suppose you're much like Regina. Straightforward. No time for play." He raised eyebrow suggestively at her and she smirked.

"We've played plenty. But I'm restless. Regina's been gone far longer than she said she would be and I don't like waiting around when there's a woman missing that I'm supposed to be helping find."

"I'm sure with the way some ships travel, she's gotten word of it."

"She would still come back to talk to me." Then she tilted her head. "Have you heard about her?"

"Last I heard was about her encounter with her former lover. Daniel Colter."

"He's upset her."

"Very much but then after that I was requested to sent word to him that his presence was needed by the Commander. I believed they've recruited him by force to assist in their push against the pirates."

"And you know nothing of this? What are they planning?"

"I doubt I'm someone they'd inform about this." Graham frowned. He sat up and pressed his back into the cushions. "I'm already suspecting they know about my alliance with the pirate lords."

"They haven't launched their attack have they?" Ruby questioned, trying to mask her worry.

"No, not yet." The woman stood up from her spot in her chair and paced. "Please be calm. The woman is immortal. I doubt this plan of theirs will work. They need her to not be immortal to properly catch her and keep her imprisoned."

"She always comes back on time. I don't know how she sails the seas that way but she does. It's been a month."

"We could send word to Demonreach and see if she's there or has been there. It's only a week's journey."

"I'll think about it."

"Everything will work out, Lucas. Trust me."

"No." She said firmly. "I trust, Regina. I'll believe that when she's here."


	9. Chapter 9

"Where exactly are we going?" Thea questioned as they roamed the back alleys of the town. Killian glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "Is it dangerous?"

"Not necessarily." He grinned stopping at the opening out onto the street. He stepped aside and stuck his hand out to present it to them. She and James glanced at each other before silently debating if they were trusting him.

Thea had been seriously skeptical since the moment they stepped off the ship, purposely to terrify the townspeople. After taking the chest back to the ship, they found most of the crew getting ready for something. She'd remembered that Regina had mention something about celebrations. It wasn't a fancy celebration from the looks of the crew as they left the ship. Tribal. Native celebrations.

Some of them left with masks and face paint. Others dressed in their cultural garb, looking the cleanest she'd seen some of them. She even accidentally walked in on the captain soaking in meditation.

Regina had come out of her quarters dressed down from her usual terrifying pirate lord look. She had some of her hair pulled back and her make-up was slightly softer. Her lips weren't painted red. All her rings gone. Necklaces stashed away. Earrings cupped around her ears in the forms of dragon shapes. That was the first time she or Emma spotted the marking behind her ear. A mark that they'd guesses at in whispers and giggles.

Emma had smiled at the sight of her as she stood at the helm, conversing with Killian. She had rolled her eyes at the obvious infatuation in her sister's eyes. Thea wasn't completely opposed to the idea of them together but she didn't necessarily want all the pirate's problems on her sister's shoulders. A love story between Regina Mills and anyone seemed like a tragedy unless her curse was broken. Although it was hard to oppose the way the pirate unconsciously looked at Emma. When she passed by she admired Emma's clothes and bowed her head.

"Princess." She'd said in greeting before she left.

"Thea?" James nudged her shoulder. "Are we going?"

"Why not?"

"He doesn't like me very much."

"But he likes me." She smirked and grabbed his hand. She led him out onto the street and Killian followed behind them closing the gate to the alley. The pair came to a stop in the center of the street and turned to the sounds of music approaching them. Thea jumped in surprise as crowds of people marched up the street with vibrant colors and drums and masks.

She and James turned to Killian with a questioning expression. He only chuckled, taking in their surroundings.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"Well, it's Demonreach, mate. We're celebrating the dead."

"Celebrating?" Thea frowned. "Why are they doing that?"

Killian shrugged. "Let's go find out."

"How?"

"Just follow the party, love." He said like it was obvious. Almost a second later the head of the parade was walking around them and merging in, shoulders brushing shoulders. Thea and James cautiously watched as the people continued on as if they weren't even there. Quickly, settling on the conclusion that they weren't threatening, James looked back to where Killian was only to find him vacant from the spot.

"He's gone." He sighed.

"Hey." Thea touched his face and grinned. "We don't do these kinds of things back home. I think we'll like it."

"There's a we now?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you're not looking for kisses from the captain anymore and I'm not sleeping with her. I suppose there's some kind of 'us'."

Before he could respond two women in white face paint and colorful, orange markings brushed their shoulders and slipped rings of orange flowers over their heads. The women kept walking with the rest of the crowd without a word to them.

"Alright. I'll play along." James agreed.

They found themselves following the parade all the way to the center of town where the celebration seemed to increase tenfold. Candles lit up the whole island from the looks of it. Spotting Killian slipping into a big building that overlooked the beach front with shadow figures dancing in the windows, they followed him inside to find most of the crew partying with the natives. Soon after that they were sat at a big booth with Killian, Neal, Smee, Emma, and for a while, Regina.

The man from earlier that day entered the tavern and grabbed a drink from a tray that passed by him. His eyes connected with Regina's and he nodded her over to the balcony that looked out to the shore. She stood up and followed him out leaving the rest of them to look after her.

"So, you never explained this place…this celebration." James said interrupted everyone's thoughts.

"Well, the captain's mother land celebrates the dead once every year. Apparently, the dead walk amongst the living for a day. Here in Demonreach, they celebrate once a month."

"So dead people are walking around right now?" James frowned.

"Probably. _He_ likes spirits and demons." Killian shrugged.

"Who is he anyway?"

"They call him the Voodoo Man. He dabbles in things much darker than Regina's curse. Pretty certain no one wants to even know his actual name. Might be a steep price to pay for knowing it."

"Does she know?" Neal questioned.

Everyone looked to her as she leaned against the railing of the balcony with him. Killian brought his drink to his lips with a slight frown. "I would imagine so. It's not like he could kill her or take her soul. She belongs to the Devil."

* * *

"So this thing you need…" the Voodoo Man started when Regina didn't speak. She stared ahead seeing the horizon start to turn pink and orange. "What is it?"

She reached into her pocket and handed him folded document. He looked it over and frowned at her. She took a drink of her whiskey. "Who is it? I need to know the who the captain is of the ship I found this on."

"Need to?"

"It's important."

"It's about that girl isn't it? The blonde one that looks at you like you saved her life." Regina scoffed and shook her head, turning away from him. "Well, now I _know_ you saved her life."

"It was a ship. Full of women and girls."

"Don't think too hard on why, My Queen. It'll only drive you deeper."

"You know who it is?"

"Captain George. Goes by The Butcher, though the bastard's never held a clever in his hands." She frowned at the information and he continued. "You ever heard of the Isla de Muerta Betrayal…I'm sure you have. Probably killed half of them."

"Sounds familiar."

"He was one of them. Escaped trial and started slaving instead. Briefly heard he's into some…other things. British Navy."

"Since when is their precious Trading Company into trafficking…"

"These are difficult times, Your Majesty." He replied handing her back the document. She put it away and leaned against the railing of the terrace. "We're in more than a war. They want power, not justice. They are no better than pirates."

"If that had been true a 100 years ago, I wouldn't be like this. I wouldn't be here right now."

"Ah, your curse. You'd rather be one of the ghost dancing in the night with us?"

"My Papi introduced me to my people's traditions. I woke up one day and there were hundreds of malmequeres around the entire estate. I could feel my grandfather, Vasco. He was murdered in a raid by the British military."

"Do you feel him here now?" the Voodoo Man questioned curiously.

"I can't feel anything, obviously. You need to have a soul to feel them. My Papi…for a few years I could feel him but now I feel nothing as with most things."

"Well, I have a feeling…" He said, sitting his glass down on the railing and plucking a golden dagger from his vest. Regina didn't pay him much attention as he polished it with a cloth. He was an odd man who had demons and spirits as friends so she didn't bother to question the things he did.

"Sorry to do this." He muttered and she frowned turning to him and suddenly she felt the sharp tip of the blade push through her stomach. She gasped in surprise and pain. Her hands grasped his wrist as her glass shatter at her feet. He twisted it and her insides seemed to turn with it.

Before she could demand to know what had be done to her, something happened. Something that had only floated in her head at night in the first years of her curse. She dreamed of it constantly until she lost all hope of being rid of the curse. She felt something.

Blood dripped from her bottom lip and something slammed against her chest. She collapsed to her knees and the Voodoo Man followed keeping the blade planted in her torso. Although forceful sensation continued to pound against her chest. Then again and again.

The realization hit her harder than the pain and she pushed her hand against her chest. The wound was gone, smooth skin left in its place. Her heart was beating under her fingertips causing her tremendous pain but it was beating.

She could feel again. Everything came flooding into her body. Her toes curled at the blood starting to rush through her veins. Her finger tingled and then an unpleasant sensation filled her chest. Guilt. Sadness. Regret.

No man she knew would ever enjoy the feeling of being a terrible, horrible person. Most just wouldn't care. Inside of her deep down she cared and so at those awful feelings, she smiled, letting out a single sob. Tears created from her guilt and regret streamed down her face out of happiness.

She felt terrible for practically forcing herself on Emma. Her urge to offer kind, comforting words to the blonde when she first found her scared and hurt and hungry grew like a mass in her. And then there was a flutter in her heart remembering all the smiles and shy grins from the younger woman.

It felt terrible.

It felt wonderful.

Her eyes fell to the man in front of her and then to the spirits around them. She turned her head towards the tavern and found her grandfather's spirit smiling softly at her. And then her father.

"It's time to come back, Your Majesty." The Voodoo Man informed.

"No." Regina said grabbing his wrist. They both got back to their feet but suddenly dagger was pulled from her stomach and everything just stopped. Almost as if time stopped. She leaned heavily on the railing trying to catch her breath.

When she looked up they were surrounded by people. Her crew and his people. Killian had a gun pointed at the Voodoo Man and everyone had their gun pointed at him. In response, her crew pulled their pistols as well.

"You'll be the newest spirit walking around here, when I put this bullet through your head, mate." Killian sneered pulling the hammer back on his pistol.

"Jones." Regina raised a hand to her crew. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Go back to your celebrations. Everything is fine here."

Reluctantly, Killian put away his pistol and everyone else followed. The crowd faded, some hesitant to leave the pair. One of them included Emma who showed even more concern than Killian. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, throwing a dirty look to the man before she left to go back inside.

Regina wished she'd had that moment again to feel that flutter from the blonde's protectiveness over her. She shook her head at the thought and wiped her face clean of the blood on her chin. She touched at her stomach finding the puncture wound closed and then felt at her chest, feeling the wound back over her unbeating heart again.

"What did you do?" Regina questioned, tucking fallen braids and strands of hair back behind her ear, ignoring the beads that tapped against her neck. "How did you do it?"

"It was temporary." He offered, cleaning the blood off of the blade.

"You know how to change me back…you can break my curse." She prodded, stepping closer to him.

"No."

"You just-"

"It's temporary. I have dozens of ways to break your curse but all of them would result in your death within a day's time. Had I let you continue to enjoy your sudden mortality just then you would've only had the time until your blood fled your body." A pause fell over them and Regina rested her head in her hands as she propped her elbows up on the railing. All her feelings were gone. Even the agony she wanted back again. "How did it feel? No one could ever appreciate the beating of their heart like you could."

"Even the pain and the guilt. The faces of all the people I've murdered…the weight of all those souls on my shoulders. I'd give all my sunrises and sunsets to feel that pain again. To have my heart beat in my chest again."

"It's taken for granted. Even by myself and obviously I see nothing but dead spirits around me all the time."

"I've spent a hundred years waiting for a lover break my curse. I don't foresee that happening."

The Voodoo Man pursed his lips before snapping his fingers towards the inside of the tavern. Two scantily dressed women appeared and sidled up on either side of Regina. The brunette tensed at the contact of their warm hands against her arms.

"Three is crowd isn't it?" He smirked and gestured over his shoulder. Another woman appeared and he put out his hand over his shoulder and she took it as she came around in front of him. He kissed her hand and guided her over to Regina. "You like the party, Regina. This is Maria. She'll take good care of you."

The woman touched her shoulder and turned her around to face them. Her eyes connected with the dark haired woman's and she stepped forward putting her arms on her shoulders and initiating a deep kiss on the pirate. A hand slipped to her lower back from the right and lips pressed to her neck from the left. Arousal shot down her back.

"Your room is free. They'll let you have the Demonreach special. New recipe." The Voodoo Man smirked, leaving them to it.

The woman, Maria, whispered something into her ear in her native tongue and Regina found herself unable to protest. She resisted her urges weakly but let them lead her to her usual room.

She was supposed to be her unbowed self. The self she saw in the mirror when she glanced over as she sat on the bed, letting the three women strip her out of her clothes. Something to smoke was pushed into one hand and after a few inhales the night blurred and turned black.

* * *

Emma walked out of her room leaving behind no one like most of the other guests in the rooms around her. Her sister and James had escaped to the room next to hers with a woman grinning at them proudly as the door closed behind the three of them.

Her braid had fallen loose in her sleep and she glanced around the empty hallway. Marigolds littered the floor and she picked one up, twirling it between her fingers. She grinned down at it and tucked it behind her ear as she moved further down the hallway.

She walked passed Regina's room, hesitating at the door. Before she could think about intruding or wondering why she wanted to see her, a man, part of the Hangman's crew, came rushing down the hallway. His clothes were barely on and he was holding up his pants with one hand also holding a shell shaped horn. He spotted her, paint smeared across his face and hiding his expression but his eyes flashed with concern.

"Defend yourself." He rushed out, shoving a pistol into her hands. Emma frowned after him before she jumped at the rattling from inside the room she was standing in front of. And then cannon fire sounded from outside, far off towards the beach. She bristled at her theories. Something was wrong.

A horn sounded, one very distinctive to the Hangman and its crew. Emma glanced around as doors started to open and everyone frantically moved, pulling on clothes with weapons in hand.

Regina's door never opened and she had a feeling that something was wrong. Gripping the pistol tightly in her hand, she pushed into the room. A figure in all black with everything except their eyes covered was edging towards the full bed with a sword aimed for the pirate. In a quick motion, she pointed the pistol at the figure before the moment he noticed her and pulled the trigger.

The round exploded out of the gun, causing Emma to stagger back but her aim was true and struck the man in the chest. The bang of the gun alerted the occupants and Emma looked over to the three women lying in bed with Regina. Something burned in her throat and she frowned at them. Two on either side of her and one of the passed out, with their face pressed against Regina's bare abdomen.

Seeing the dead man on the floor, they scrambled out of the bed marigolds fluttering around them as they fled the room partially clothed. Regina groaned and shifted starting to wake up. Emma moved over to the window and saw the Navy ships in the port. Gunfire and metal sounded in the streets around them. She looked around wondering how the man had even gotten inside.

"Emma?" Regina questioned peering at her through squinted eyes, red rimmed and bloodshot. Emma turned away from the window and walked over to the woman. Obviously, she was inebriated and stoned, so that left the blonde in charge of getting the captain of a pirate crew out of the hands of Navy. She couldn't be captured.

Her brow creased at the thought. She met eyes with Regina and felt that nothing would be right again in her life if Regina were to be captured. She pulled the woman from the bed with as much force she could. The pirate stumbled into her. Emma flushed at the half naked woman holding onto her for those short moments before she turned to find her clothes.

"Emma…" Regina choked out before swaying dangerously to the left. The blonde frowned and shoved her pants at her, keeping her upright as she did. "What's happened?" The brunette questioned, pulling on her pants with almost no coordination.

The blonde frowned in her direction and then gestured towards the window but before Regina could make her way over there, Emma stopped her and she fell into her. Despite her strength being nowhere near Regina's she still managed to keep the dazed woman upright. She slipped her arm around her waist and led her out of the room into the frantic mess of the tavern.

The moment they stepped out into the hallway a bullet raced passed the both of them, coming so close to Regina's cheek, the heat of it created a red mark. It struck a Navy man dead and Emma looked to Thea standing with her pistol still pointed ahead of her with James standing behind her. Her eyes snapped over to her sister and she looked relieved but also a little concerned by the pirate lord draped over her shoulder and swaying unsteadily as if she wasn't even awake and her clothes with hanging off of her.

Thea frowned but decided not to say anything. "We have to get back to the ship. Follow us."

"Is she alright?" James questioned, flicking his sword in the direction of Regina. Emma glanced down to her and shrugged, even though she was sure the woman was fine. He accepted the answer and turned back to the stairs. "Let's go."

Emma followed behind them, flinching every time gun shot echoed around her. A hand started to pull Regina out of her grasp and she panicked, without a chance to shoot when Killian showed up and slammed his knuckles into the man's face. He nodded his appreciation to her for retrieving their very out of it captain and she nodded her thanks back.

Getting out of the tavern proved to be a slightly difficult task but it was nothing compared to the world outside of the establishment. Emma froze at the chaos erupting around them and at Regina's groan, partially waking up as Killian pushed a pistol into her free hand, Emma kept them moving. It was a struggle to keep up with the three of them but she was okay with them letting her handle her own…and Regina's.

Unfortunately, direction wasn't her strongest skill. Crowds of people, still painted from the previous night's festivities, packed the streets making it hard to find out who was fighting who and who was just fleeing up into the jungle that sat elevated over the town. She lost James and Thea first but still saw Killian in the distance until he too was lost to her.

A pinch of annoyance invaded her mind at the fact that the brunette next to her slept through an evasion. She questioned the pirate's ability to keep up with ambushes and whatnot but considering how complex and mysterious the woman seemed to be, it would only hurt to think about it.

Guessing at the direction of the docks, Emma took a turn and regretted it instantly. Two men dressed in dark blue and one man in all black with his face hidden stood in their way. She glanced over her shoulder and found one other man standing there.

"Give her over. She's a criminal." One man said firmly. Regina grumbled something in response but Emma was sure she couldn't be much help as any shot she had been alert enough to take, she missed. "You only get one warning and then I will cut you down and take her from you."

Gently, Emma lowered the brunette until she was on her knees, slumped forward slightly and lightly gripping the pistol in her hand. Her eyes opened up a little seeking out the younger woman's warmth.

"Princess?" Regina murmured and still, even then in the anarchy, it made Emma blush to be called that. She pressed her palm into her cheek and grinned softly when the older woman leaned into her touch. She did a few of the buttons on the woman's shirt, as it had been hanging open the entire time but had revealed her chest explicitly but was dangerously close now.

"That's it, girl. She doesn't deserve your mercy or protection." The man inserted, beginning to step forward, assuming that Emma was giving her over.

She glanced over to the man blocking the way they came and stood up. She pointed her pistol at him and in return so did he and the man approaching them. She hesitated, purposely, and listened for the sound of the trigger being pulled behind her and in front of her. Not speaking for so long actually seemed to make her ears more sensitive. She didn't hear things, she listened and that was exactly how she managed to duck the flying rounds at the perfect moment causing both men to shoot themselves.

Emma turned around and the third man in blue grimaced at her and started to stalk forward. She ignored the fact that she'd been trembling since she first fired the pistol and killed that man but she was determined to get Regina, her savior, out of here and somewhere safe. She grabbed the sword somehow still strapped to Regina's waist and pointed it at him.

"Now you'll pay for that, whore." He muttered, drawing his own sword.

He swung first and Emma ducked under the blade. She disappeared behind him and blocked his next strike. Her confidence rose and she took a defensive stance against him, wrapping her other hand around the handle of the sword over her other. He lunged at her again and she, luckily, dodged it. The blade ripping the fabric against her waist.

She swung back and was knocked over instantly. The man raised his sword to deal a deadly strike but stopped, eyes going blank and blood beginning to stain his lips. Emma watched it drip down his chin until he fell forward stiffly, an arrow in his back. She looked up to see someone running the rooftops shooting off arrows randomly.

Relief didn't have a chance to come as the man in black drew his sword and slowly moved over to Emma. She raised her sword in return as he brought the metal down, creating a ring echoing around them.

The sound woke Regina momentarily. She looked through bleary eyes to see Emma fighting someone. Her eyes slipped closed shortly after. At another clash of metal, she opened her eyes fully, unconsciousness still clawing at the corners of her sore eyes. The figure in black shoved his sword at Emma and it cut her arm, she let out a short cry of pain and Regina frowned. That wasn't the first sound she wanted to hear from the blonde. She wanted to hear a word. Strangely, she wanted to hear her say her name before anything else.

Her limbs felt heavy like they were tied down with sandbags. She lifted her gun up and clenched her jaw as her hand shook. After a moment, she dropped the pistol in fear of shooting Emma. She reached back to her waist, just at the belt of her pants, and pulled a dagger from the sheath.

"Emma…" She called out, voice weak. Her vision crossed and spun as she got to her feet but at the sight of Emma being punched and then choked against the wall, she blinked away the urge to sleep and moved over behind the man on unsteady legs.

She tightened her grip on the dagger and raised it above her head to stab him but her body started to slack once again. A talk with the Voodoo Man about his recipes would have to be had later. Her eyes met Emma's and the blonde was turning colors from the cut off of oxygen. Regina dropped her arm and reached her free hand to the second dagger behind her. Stilling her entire body, she brought the blades up over him and stabbed them into both sides of his neck.

He let go of Emma and took frantic steps backward, arms flailing behind him as if that would stop his death from coming. Out of anger, Regina twisted the blades nosily causing them both to tumble to the ground. He was lifeless to Emma's relief. But then the moment he took his final breath, the pirate fell unconscious once again with the blonde's concern face the last thing she saw.

* * *

Regina threaded her fingers through her hair as she sat up in her bed. Her head was pounding and she had a strong urge to have a drink. Although, the thought of rum or whiskey made the feeling of wanting to vomit arise. She glanced up to her room and recoiled lightly at the sight of Emma sitting at the foot of her bed with her feet dangling to the floor.

"Miss Swan?" She questioned. The blonde turned around to her and smiled at seeing that she was okay compared to back at Demonreach. Regina raised her eyebrow at the reaction but then closed her eyes against the pain. Emma got up and hurried from the bed over to her desk and grabbed a glass filled to the top with a cloudy, clear-ish substance. Emma was as trustworthy as it got besides Killian so she didn't protest it. She grimaced at the sour taste but emptied the glass anyway. "What are you doing here?"

Emma raised an eyebrow and Regina sighed. "I'm fine." She put the glass down on the floor next to the bed and glanced over to the younger woman still watching her. That's when she noticed the cloth, blood spotting the middle of it, tied to Emma's upper arm. She moved down the bed, closer to her. She gently grabbed her arm to inspect the injury.

She met eyes with Emma who showed no signs of trying to pretend she wasn't hurt. She noticed the big, red mark along her jawline and swallowed her rage as she remembered that she'd brutally gave the man who harmed her the death he deserved.

"Does it hurt?" Regina asked brushing her thumb against the somewhat bloody bandage. Emma shrugged and angled herself closer to the pirate, willing to let the woman take care of her. Regina noticed but pushed away all the people and feelings telling her that Emma was special. "There's a salve in my desk…there should be an unsoiled cloth I haven't use someplace."

The younger woman nodded and found the two items without a problem as Regina moved herself from under her sheets. She was clothed and not drunk in Emma's presence which was a first since she found her on the abandoned ship. Emma sat close to her and passed her the items.

Regina reached out and touched her arm, feeling something shoot down her spine. She wasn't sure what it was as it passed through her so quickly but she didn't want to take any chances, despite having satisfied all her urges the night before. She retracted her hand but Emma grabbed her wrist and placed her palm against the crook of her arm.

'It's okay', Emma mouthed to her. She wanted to tell her it wasn't but her self-control was still intact so maybe it hadn't been what she thought it was. With a little less reluctance, the brunette moved her hands up to the cloth and untied it. A drop of blood poured down her arm immediately but they both ignored it. Emma jerked slightly as she wiped away the blood and applied the salve.

"This shouldn't have happened to you. I'll figure this out." Emma raised an eyebrow but just shrugged. There was no way to convince her not to but she did appreciate the fact that the woman seemed to want to make everything right for her.

Regina pulled her hands away as soon as she was finished and after a moment of reluctance the blonde leaned in and hugged her. The pirate froze but hugged her back lightly, feeling uncomfortable for reasons she couldn't really understand. But the one thing she did understand was that things had just changed.

* * *

The ship fell silent when Regina emerged from her quarters with Emma behind her. Some of them bowed to the blonde as she walked by and she attempted to offer some back but Regina stopped her and shook her head. "They're thanking you. Don't bow back." The pirate whispered in her ear. She nodded and thought she might need to learn the customs of the ship at some point. Despite what anyone else might have thought, Emma planned on staying with the Hangman and its Queen.

There was a group waiting for them as they walked up to the helm. Regina raised an eyebrow at the sight of the Voodoo Man present amongst her crew. She walked over to them, the white furs on her shoulders brushing against the floorboards.

"I hope you don't mind, My Queen. I needed passage to the mainland." The Voodoo Man informed. She bowed her head in acceptance of it and he nodded his thanks. He looked to Emma and bowed to her. The blonde smile shortly at him.

"We need to talk about what you gave me. Whatever it was, I don't want anymore of it." Regina frowned.

"Ah, I heard of your raid adventure yes. Little too relaxed for battle."

"That's one way to put it."

"Well, I'm out of the business for now."

"Want to tell me how the Navy invaded your island?" Regina questioned.

"I have no idea how that happened."

"If I don't believe you?" Regina suggested. James and Killian pulled their swords half way out of their sheaths at their hips. The Voodoo Man took a step back but had a smirk on his face.

"Now, now, Your Majesty…you don't want these boys to have their souls ripped from their bodies now, do you?"

"Are you threatening me?" Both men drew their swords completely and Emma narrowed her eyes at the man wishing she was carrying a sword now.

"Not threatening but my friends on… _the other side_ , don't handle accusation very well. They're protective, if you will."

Something thudded against the deck. "Captain!" Regina looked to the source of the interruption. Neal was there, standing with a limp but it was better than it had been. At his feet was a man in black, restrained at the wrist, and a sack over his head. "I think you'll want to see this." She nodded to him and he pulled the sack away from the prisoner's head.

"You." Regina muttered as Killian blew past her, his hand around the man's throat in an instant.

"I knew something smelled of you." Killian said in his face.

"Nice to see you, too, brother." Daniel said glancing over to Regina and then to Emma with a curious expression.

"You're no brother of mine." Killian sneered.

The pirate lord noticed his look and gestured to James. He frowned for a moment before stepping in Daniel's line of sight to the young woman. Emma scowled at James and then reached out to brush her fingers against Regina's arm. The brunette look to her and was vague in her explanation. "It's best he doesn't see you, Princess." Instead of demanding to know more, the blonde blushed at the moniker and turned her face away from Regina with a bashful smile.

"Jones, let him go." Regina commanded.

"He's a traitor, Regina." Killian argued.

"Are you ignoring an order?"

"No, Captain." He released his brother, Daniel sucking in a breath of air in relief.

"You led them here." She said looking down to the man. He looked up to her and tightened his jaw.

"Yes." The whole ship seemed to take a step towards him at the admission. He looked around warily to all the disapproving face. "I need to speak with you privately, Regina." She moved up in front of him, bending down to his level.

She grabbed him by the jaw and force him to meet her eyes. "We'll speak privately and I want you to look and know all the wrong you've done me because I will be last thing you see in this life."

"You're a slave, Regina. I'm trying to help you." Daniel shouted. She drew her hand back, prepared to slap him. Daniel closed his eyes and flinched but the slap never came.

He opened his eyes to see that the blonde woman had made herself visible again. She was holding Regina's wrist, preventing her from striking him. People had done something like that many times before, stopping her from hurting someone, and they paid heavily for it. In death.

But this woman…

Regina only snatched her hand away when the blonde shook her head. Daniel looked between his former lover and the other woman. The blonde should've been dead but she wasn't and that meant she was important…special to Regina.

"Lock him up." Regina said in defeat looking to Emma with something that resembled an apology.


	10. Chapter 10

" _I must say, you've made good work of his pretty face._ " Regina ignored her reflection's comments as she paced in front of Daniel. " _I say we kill him. He could hurt her…our Emma_."

"She's not yours." The pirate snapped. Daniel frowned, flinching at the pain of moving his facial muscles. She'd been punching him constantly for the past few minutes and he was hoping sometime soon his face would be numb to at least get rid of the pain. Anything else was unavoidable.

Especially, the woman's tendency to look to her reflection in even a puddle of water…like she heard things. He tilted his head at her.

She? The blonde. Had to be her she was talking about.

" _Alright fine. Your Emma._ "

"Who are you talking to, Regina?" He asked, noticing the woman tense up as she stared into the mirror.

"Mind your own." She muttered.

"Who is she? The woman?"

"Hold your tongue." Regina closed her eyes, her back facing him. She promised Emma not to kill him but it was hard to resist. Those urges haven't happened in while. She turned around to him with narrowed eyes. Daniel glanced to her fist at her side, broken knuckles, reddened, dripping with his blood.

"Princess. That's what you call her, isn't it? Your princess. She's something-" He stopped as her fist pounded into the side of his face. Her cold hand grasped the neck of his shirt and a fist was raised, ready to strike. "What do you have to lose by telling me? I'll be dead. Your secret will follow me to the grave. I'm no threat."

"You're a liar. You betrayed me. Over and over."

"She's the one, isn't she? Your true love?"

Regina recoiled and struck him again. Daniel dropped his head with groan, feeling a sharp, stinging sensation in his nose. From the tilted of her head, he knew it had to be broken now. "There's no such thing."

"Just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean it's not real. If it's her, your curse can be broken. But she'd be in danger, Regina."

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, wrapping her fingers around his throat and cutting off his air supply. "What do you know?"

"Why do you think I snuck aboard your ship? I needed to talk to you. You can't be seen with her, they'll know."

"Who?"

"The British Navy. The entire military. They're out to get you. If they can kill you it will cripple the pirate nation. That's what they think. They have plans. Weapons."

"What does it have to with Emma?"

"If they find out about her, they'll take her so you'll come after her or wait until she changed you and then kill you both."

"She's not the one." Regina insisted tightening her grasp.

"I think she is. No one else could convince you not to hurt someone or kill them but she did. And you didn't retaliate against her for stopping you. Even if she isn't, she is important to you. If not from the way she looks at you, it's the way you look at her."

Regina searched his eyes, wanting to find any reason not to trust him. To kill him. He let out a choked breath under her hand. She promised Emma. Taking a deep breath, she let him go and pulled him to his feet. She growled in his ear causing a shiver to travel thought his body. "Get out of my sight."

* * *

Emma glanced over her shoulders, as she roamed the quiet deck. Regina had been hovering over her ever since she saw the cut on her arm. It was sweet of her but sometimes it was a bit much for her to be behind her all the time. Two days now.

Finally, she was alone.

"Hey." A voice hissed at her. She frowned at the figure silhouetted by the dark of night, hunched down next to a set of barrels stacked on top of each other. Cautiously, Emma walked closer. She was surprised to find the prisoner, Daniel, tied up, on his knees. His face - illuminated better by the dim torches burning - was bloody and bruised and Emma thought to scold Regina but she'd promise not to _kill_ him. "Emma?"

She frowned down at him taking a step back. He shook his head and sighed. "You're Regina's Princess, right?" Emma felt her cheeks turn pink at the title. Was that really her mantle now? Princess? She had to admit, it was a surprise from the pirate lord but she actually liked the attention from her.

"You can let me go." Daniel said. Emma looked around in concern as if at the mere suggestion would bring Regina to her. She shook her head frantically at him, taking another step back. "You can. She won't hurt you. You can get away with anything with her. She may not have feelings as we do but she does care about you."

'I can't. She won't like it.' Emma mouthed to him.

"Of course she won't but you are capable of being her equivalent on this ship if she lets you do what you want. You're special." Her brow creased. She'd heard that a lot. "Her curse. You can break it."

'I can't.'

"She can be convinced. You've accepted the monster in her, haven't you?" Emma glanced around herself again and, reluctantly, nodded.

'It's not her fault.'

"She'll fight you and you have to be able to fight back. She's a stubborn woman. You can't do it otherwise but you must be careful. If anyone figures out about your power, you will be in great danger." Daniel looked to his left and then his right. "You have to let me go, now. My presence here will only bring trouble to the crew."

As much of a risk this seemed to be, Emma didn't feel much resistance from her conscience. Although, letting the man go wasn't the wrong thing to do, going behind Regina wasn't necessarily the right thing to do either. But she didn't fear that her life would be in any danger. Regina, despite her violent nature, would punish herself if the thought even occurred to her to cause the blonde any harm.

Decidedly, she pulled the dagger from her belt. The dark-haired man looked up at her hopefully and she knelt down in front of him. She cut the rope from his wrists and ankles. He nodded his thanks as they both stood up. He took the pistol from her waist and started off towards where they kept the liners.

"I can't handle it from here. Thank you." Emma nodded with a slight frown on her face. "Emma, I couldn't do it but I think you can. You can save her."

* * *

To everyone's surprise, their captain did not retaliate once she found out what Emma had done. Daniel had been right which was starting to not surprise her as much. The pirate was letting her do things some of her crew might have gotten killed for doing.

That wasn't to say the woman wasn't furious for having him escape her after promising death for his actions – past and present. After a stare-down with the blonde, who had nothing but patience, Regina huffed and walked away. Not an hour later she was back hovering around Emma from a distance.

The more days that passed them by on the seas, the more comfortable Emma became around the crew. She didn't mind being alone with them if Regina wasn't around and they seemed to respect her much more than normal but she supposed if she was the captain's 'princess' they wouldn't dare treat her any other way.

Despite her growing familiarity with the ship and its passengers, she was growing restless by the day. For a while her focus was solely on gaining her strength back and recovering the dignity she felt was beaten out of her and snatched away while she was on that ship but now there wasn't much she was focused on. Of course, her body hadn't fully taken to her new routine of eating two or three meals a day and she still felt like bones but she couldn't speed that up. Although something else had been lingering on her mind.

Swords.

So far her previous adventure with a sword had been from mere improvisation. She was tempted to request Jones teach her but it'd have to be done in secret. Regina wouldn't approve at all.

Once the evening fell on their last night at sea, she went in search of the first mate only to feel Regina quietly seek her out. She hovered in silence following a few feet behind her as if they were somewhere where she could be snatched. Unless, it wasn't out of a somewhat adoring concern and was rather about what she would do that was untrustworthy after the Daniel situation.

Emma took a few more steps before she swiftly turned around, tunic flailing at the hem, catching the pirate off guard. Regina looked at her in surprise before letting a mask of indifference drowned the reaction.

"Are you alright?" Regina questioned. Emma raised an eyebrow at her before nodding. "Good. That's…that's very good." For only a moment did Emma think that the woman was becoming flustered but any hints of that quickly vanished.

Regina turned around as if she was going to leave and Emma turned back in search of Jones. The floorboards creaked and with deflated shoulders and a look of exasperation, the blonde turned once again the find the captain still refusing to leave her be.

'What do you want?' Emma mouthed and the brunette frowned, reading very clearly what she'd asked.

"I'm not exactly sure why…I've been compelled to follow you…as if I sense trouble."

'I'm fine.'

"I'm aware…yes." She nodded to herself, not sure what should happen next. Before she could think of anything, Emma came up to her and grabbed for her sword slowly. The moment her hand wrapped around the handle, Regina's fingers firmly wrapped around her wrist from reflex. The brunette snatched her hand back. "I didn't mean that."

Emma nodded and pulled the sword from its place on the pirate's hip and pushed it into her hands. Regina looked up to her with a frown. 'Teach me.'

The woman's instinct was to say no and still resist her urge to lock Emma away in her quarters, where she'd be safe from the rest of the world. She wondered often where those feelings came from but she decided not to deny them anymore. They continued to happen regardless of her response to them.

"Are you sure?" She questioned. An affirmative nod was given and she sighed. "Find Jones, then. I won't teach you…at least not now. You need skill before I teach you anything. I could seriously harm you." She placed her sword into Emma's hands and finally left the young blonde.

* * *

Emma hesitated in asking Killian about lessons. The way Regina cared for her and what Daniel had told her was starting to invade her head. She couldn't help but think maybe he was right. There was no doubt in her mind that Regina had been much more ruthless and cruel before she came along. Her violent actions were genuine but it seemed she was always trying more than she even needed to.

She had admitted to herself that she was attracted to the pirate but she didn't know about being _her_ savior. Regina had saved her. She wasn't capable of returning the favor except for that once back on Demonreach.

Breaking the curse on a notorious pirate lord was both exciting and stressful. It was a lot of pressure for her still weakened shoulders but if her love could save this woman from her suffering, she'd try.

Emma held on to the sword until she decidedly retired to bed, knowing come morning she'd been introduced to the place Regina called home. She eased her way into the captain's quarters finding the brunette actually sleeping for once. No rum on her lips or blood on her hands. Just sleeping.

Carefully, she slipped into the bed next to her on the far end and pulled the sheets up to her shoulders. She missed this bed. It was more comfortable than anything else on this ship. She also missed being in the room with the woman. The one time they'd played chess was actually very enjoyable despite the pirate's obvious awkwardness with her.

She fell asleep to that memory.

She got up before Regina and wanted to get the day started before the woman woke up and before the crew started the day. She would appreciate a quiet session. Land would be only hours away.

Killian gave Emma a look of disbelief. The whole princess thing had spread plenty across the ship and no one was going to say or do the wrong in fear of having to face Regina. She wanted him to teach her to sword fight and he was just stunned.

"I don't know about that, love. Regina would kill me." He said shaking his head. She held out the sword that was usually on Regina's hip and his eyes dropped down to it. A sigh escaped his lips and he gave her a short nod before turning his back to her and drawing his sword. "Alright, princess. Let's see what you're made of."

There swords clashed well into mid morning. She was better than he expected her to be but she still needed work. Although it would take more time considering her fatigue plagued her quicker than it would most of the younger portion of the crew.

Killian could see through the sweat dripping from her forehead and the dull spots forming on the sharp edge of the sword. She was strong and very determined. He couldn't help but think about what she was capable of doing when she was at her best. Sword play…curse breaking.

"I think we've done plenty for today-"

"Land Ho!" Someone shouted from the crow's nest.

Horns sounded loudly and both Emma and Killian moved toward the side on the ship to see what was rushing forward. "Well, welcome home, love." He said to her and she grinned, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

* * *

"Look at you." Ruby frowned at the sight of her friend as she walked up the pathway. She held her arms out to the pirate, glancing at the two following behind her, and thought to question them later. Regina reluctantly accepted the hug, letting the leggy brunette pull her into an embrace but didn't return the gesture. "What did I say about taking care of yourself?"

"I'm fine, Lucas."

"The hell you are." She grumbled. She knew the pirate didn't like to be fussed over but it was part of her job. The woman looked near skin and bones and slightly pale but it could've been worse. "When was the last time you ate? You were gone a long time, Regina."

"I ate fine. I was busy."

"You pirates are always busy. You're just the only one who doesn't take the time to eat. Most of the others are probably too fat to move around very much and you're just skin. You could drop dead at any moment the way you look." Regina grimaced at her. "And don't say a word about being lucky to die. You look terrible."

"Just a…rough sail."

"Get in here, Captain." Regina obeyed out of exhaustion. "I'll have some food fetched for you…and your friends." Ruby frowned at Killian and shook her head as he passed by, strolling in like he lived there. Then her eyes turned to Emma and she moved to step in her way for some interrogating.

Emma stopped in her tracks in front of the woman but Killian took Ruby's arm and pulled her over to him. The blonde didn't make a move to go inside, keeping to the doorway.

"You'll learn not to mess with her, love." Killian said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Regina saved her from an abandoned ship. She was a slave…personal slave for the captain of the ship." He explained lowly, knowing Emma was far too close to be talking about her but Ruby gave Emma a look to make it very apparent they were talking about her.

The brunette woman could easily tell she'd endured the worst of hardships. She looked healthier than she imagined she did when she was found but the malnourishment was still evident in how Regina's clothes seemed to be a bit baggy on her. It spoke volumes considering that Regina was already slim. It was concerning someone was even slightly thinner than that but there was some muscular undertones in her arms.

"Poor thing…" Ruby sighed to herself before she turned to Emma who was still looking a bit concerned about not being let inside. Her eyes seemed to search for Regina over her shoulder and Ruby stepped aside gesturing for her to come in. "Make yourself at home…?"

"Emma." Killian answered and the blonde softly smiled in return.

"Emma. I'll show have someone show you where your room is."

Ruby watched her nod before she took in the house. The brunette looked back to Killian. "She doesn't talk?"

"No. And you'll do well not to get in her way or Regina will unleash hell upon you."

"I've known Regina long enough-"

"That doesn't matter. You're her friend but Emma there…she's her princess."

"Princess? What the hell does that…" He gave her a look. "Oh… _princess_. Interesting." Her eyes scanned over Emma's form. _Princess_. "And you've seen this?"

"Repeatedly."

"I see." She took note of that just as Bailey stepped into the room. The man was easy to startle and nearly died if something caught him off guard: like unannounced guests.

"We have guests?" He questioned Ruby while looking at Emma curiously.

"Yes, Bailey. Maybe lunch should be started, yes?"

"Yes, ma'am." He glanced over to Emma once more and then to Killian with a frown before he scurried to make sure that food was prepared for the guests and the recently returned captain.

As soon as he disappeared, Ruby decided it was definitely time to have them cleaned up. "Charlotte!"

"Yes?" The other blonde answered from the steps.

"Regina, Killian, and Emma here are…unkempt and slightly stained with the sea stench. Get them clean."

Charlotte grinned and clapped her hands. Two girls with timid and soft steps appeared behind her. Killian raised an eyebrow. He liked what he saw and smiled suggestively at them. They giggled in return, blush staining their cheeks, but stopped at the sharp eyebrow given to them by Ruby.

"We have two dirty pirates here. Get them decent."

The pair of them moved down the stairs to pick who they would take and pulled them towards the second floor, not the least bit shy about getting to tend to either of them. Emma was reluctant at first until she looked to Killian who gave her a reassuring look.

"I quite like returning from rough sailing to this." Killian said smugly.

Ruby rolled her eyes after him and left to go find Regina. They had a lot to talk about apparently. Especially this princess business.

* * *

When Ruby finally discovered her she was in the library anxiously shoving around the maps in their slots on the wall. She watched her for a moment before announcing her presence with a knock to the door. Regina whipped her head around to her but continued looking through the maps.

"To say I'm still only just worried about you would be an awful untruth." Ruby admitted. "What happened, Regina?"

"I killed Yuri." She answered knowing exactly what she was really talking about.

"I'm not surprised. I've seen your list. It's full of notable, repulsive men." Regina didn't respond and messily opened another book full of loose pages onto the floor. Charlotte was definitely going to enjoy cleaning that up as she complained to the pirate about her coming home only to make a mess of the clean house she'd kept while she was gone. "Regina, you know I'm not asking about Yuri. What happened?"

"Nothing of note." Regina replied distractedly. She picked up a book and held it out by it's cover and it opened up, spilling out stray papers onto the floor. The book fell to the floor and Ruby frowned at her.

"Nothing of note? Your princess? That's nothing of note?"

Regina slowly pushed something back into its place on the shelf and turned around to the younger woman. "What did you say?"

"Killian told me a few things about Emma. You want to tell me what's going on?"

She picked up a map and unrolled before giving it a short look and tossed it to the floor. "She's…it's nothing. I just feel the need to protect her. I don't know why."

"What else?" Ruby prodded. "There's something else. She's your princess for a reason."

"The princess thing was a jest."

"Well it stuck. So…?"

"She's doing something to me. It's been easier to resist my urges with her." She admitted quietly opening and tossing another map. "I've rarely had them since she's been onboard."

"Your curse?"

Regina scoffed and closed her eyes with a head shake. "No. Have you seen her? She shouldn't be anywhere near me. If she's smart she'll be long gone by morning."

"She never would've followed you home if she didn't want to be around you."

"That doesn't matter." She argued as Ruby grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the shelves she seemed intent on destroying. She resisted for a moment and then let herself be turned away.

"If you didn't want her here, you would've made sure she didn't follow you but you let her. You can't admit it but she's special to you. If she wants to help you, let her do it. Okay?" Regina didn't respond to her and the younger brunette shook her to get her attention back. " _Okay_?"

"Alright." The woman relented easier than she expected her to. She'd have to talk to Emma about this. Regina snatched her hands away and briskly moved out of the room but Ruby stayed on her heels.

"I've got a job for you. Belle French, she's gone missing and her father has offered to pay whatever your price to have her returned."

"I'm guessing no one knows where she is and no one remembers the last place she was…"

"I've gathered as much information I could get my hands on."

"I will look over it after my bath." Ruby nodded, stopping at the doorway of her rooms. She shed her clothes quickly, revealing bruised, but ever golden flesh, and slipped into the steaming bath where Charlotte was waiting. The blonde woman rolled up her sleeves and pushed Regina into the water to get her hair wet.

Ruby stepped inside the room, immediately noticing the older woman's eyes were trained on something outside her chamber. The younger brunette looked over her shoulder to see Emma staring back at her, wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping down her back and shoulders.

 _Well, she was a nice-looking woman_ , Ruby thought to herself.

The girl tending to her ushered her away to her room and Emma managed a shy wave to Regina before she was moving along again. Ruby watched her go and then looked down to the floor in thought. She might just be the one to make Regina's life not so miserable anymore. Her green eyes shot a piercing gaze at Regina and she saw the fading small grin on her face.

"Princess." She murmured to herself before leaving Regina to her bath.


	11. Chapter 11

Finding a vanished woman was supposed to be the easiest of all the things she'd done. Injure. Murder. Steal. All easy compared to the lack of everything really needed to find this Belle French.

Ruby had done as good of a job as one can with so little to go on but it wasn't enough. This would take a little more digging. A little more maiming and murdering than Ruby wanted to dabble in anymore. She supposed it was her specialty now.

Regina rose from her desk, pressing her palm into her neck. She was beginning to be surprised by sudden, small aches. They hadn't plagued her in the past hundred or so years and she had been young – late-twenties really – when her mortal life was taken from her in exchange for a meaningless title and slavery to the devil.

With all the whispers and casual mentions of Emma being special, of being the one to save her, she tried to ignore it. Things were changing. They felt different. She'd never admit it to anyone but the air tasted different. Colors were becoming more vibrant for her. All because of Emma's presence in her life.

"Finally, thinking about what everyone else has known all along."

Regina turned around to the far wall. She walked over to the big oval mirror spotting her reflection with a raised eyebrow. It was very odd to see such a thing, although she figured with the way her life turned out hallucinating and speaking with her reflection wasn't all that strange.

She examined the identical figure dressed similarly to how she had been today except there was obviously no shirt under the vest she wore and Regina never recalled owning a deep purple tricorn with a black feather settled against it.

"What do you want now?" She questioned, folding her arms over her chest as she spared a quick glance to her reflection's bare chest.

Her other self smirked suggestively at her. "I'm sure if I were real, we'd have a wonderful time together." Regina tried to keep her face unreadable – if it was possible when dealing with yourself – when she received a wink. "Of course, three is much better. We could invite _Em-ma_."

"I have no desire to share a bed with you."

"I am you. But you don't have to lie to me, dear. I can see the interest my suggestion got out of you. It's hard to hide from yourself."

"What is it that you want?"

"You need help, don't you? This Belle. You want to find her."

"And you somehow know more than I do?"

"Your mind typically goes no further than three primary things: Stealing, killing, and fucking. And – as of late – your precious princess." Regina narrowed her eyes but her reflection raised a hand to stop any protests. "I will help you. No cryptic…you know, I'm bored of you really. Go on an adventure to find that girl and take Emma with you."

"Where's this help you've so graciously offered?"

"Ask about the girl's mother. It's not in your notes, is it?"

Regina glanced over her shoulder to her desk with a frown. There wasn't anything about French's mother but that was because it was irrelevant to her disappearance. She turned back to the mirror with the intention of questioning why that even mattered but her reflection was gone. Just her.

With a sigh, she decided she'd look into it in the morning. It would be a distraction from Emma's growing role in her life.

It just really surprised her that of all the things she tried, saving a mute blonde was what was going to break her curse.

* * *

_Regina walked through a market, trying to keep herself composed despite the masses of people around her. Crowds agitated her and agitation led to murderous end results. That and she was on her way to make a deal with another very notoriously known pirate lord. He was the most trustworthy of them all. He was the one that never failed her._

_She turned a corner into a narrower passageway. It was quieter and that definitely meant he was close by and that there would be resistance. As she expected, she only walked a few paces before two men stepped in her way._

_"I'm here for Amid." Regina informed. Two sets of eyes were narrowed at her and she sighed in frustration. Their response was to fold their arms. "What do I have to prove? I'm a pirate lord."_

_"So is captain. You prove it." One of them spoke poking her forcefully in the chest as he stepped up to her. "Where's your piece, if you're a pirate lord?" He moved closer to her, running a scratchy finger down her cheek. "You're too pretty."_

_Her mood hadn't been the best when morning came. In fact, she was partially drunk at that very moment. Partially drunk – in her mind – inevitably meant no nonsense. As his hand slipped across her back, Regina unclenched her hand and took a handful of his groin. He choked in response and hunched over in pain when her fist closed tighter._

_The other man moved to pull his sword from his hip but she'd beaten him to weapons, holding a pistol aimed at his forehead. He stopped, frowning as his partner dropped to the ground with a groan once Regina released him._

_Blue eyes looked back up to her and he spoke. "Where's your piece, pirate?"_

_Using her free hand, Regina reached inside her coat and shoved her shirt aside to reveal the awful wound on her chest. His jaw tightened and he turned his eyes away. "My apologies, Your Majesty…your piece?"_

_Her scar usually warded off such a question but this district was far from her home and even farther from her native land. She tugged the coin from around her neck and tossed it to him. He caught it in his fist and opened his palm. The silver piece with a wolf engraved in it. It had a red eye and he looked up to Regina, her left eye flashing red._

_"Where's Amid?" Regina demanded, catching the silver that was thrown back at her._

_He eyed the fallen guard and then looked to the barrel of the pistol pointed at him. "Right this way."_

_She followed him through a few turns of the alley until they arrive at a shabby building. He gestured towards it but didn't go any closer. She didn't find this as suspicious as most would have. Her acquaintance was very cautious._

_She nodded her thanks to him and pushed her pistol back to her hip as she approached the door where two more guards stood. Her scar was still showing so they stepped aside almost immediately. Forcefully, she pushed through the door and stopped at the smoke filling room._

_"Amid."_

_"Ah, Regina. My Queen. Beautiful as ever." The man smiled from his position on the floor. She bowed her head to him and he did the same. He was sitting crossed legged at a low table and motioned to the area across from him. "Please, join me."_

_Regina moved forward and sat down in the same position as he was currently in. It was comfortably warm in the room and obviously, he was in the middle of meditation._

_"Release your tension. This is my peaceful domain." Reluctantly, Regina closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, really feeling it leave her. Her shoulders relaxed when she opened her eyes and Amid smiled at her. He clapped his hands together. "Wonderful. Now, Masala? I know you enjoy it. Its recipe is one of my most prized possessions as you know."_

_Regina stoically took the in her both of her hands and drunk slowly from it. Amid smirked at her and drunk his own until it was empty and she did the same. He looked at her and noticed the redness around the white of her eyes. "You've been drinking heavily again, my friend. Troubles haunting you?"_

_"When aren't they?" Regina chuckled._

_"Meditation helps."_

_"Helps mortals."_

_"I understand your skepticism." He nodded. "So, I'm right in assuming you're here to exchange something? Yes?"_

_Wordlessly, Regina reached into her coat and pulled out a tattered map. She placed it on the table and pushed it to the center. He reached across and took it, unraveling it until in front of him laid pure gold. A smile crossed his face as he rolled it back up and sat it down._

_"You give me a fortune, My Queen. What is it that you require? I'll happily give you anything in my possession for this…except for my masala." He said._

_"That map is worth a lot, Amid."_

_"That I am aware of. Name your price."_

_"I want…" Regina swallowed audibly and tensed her jaw. "I need the map to Los Agos."_

_Amid frowned intensely at her request but nodded anyway. He stood from the table and disappeared to the right where a curtain closed off the entrance to another room._

_She waited in silence wondering if she'd regret asking for this. There wasn't much time to take it back now. If she'd retracted the offer, as nonviolent as Amid was, she would have to fight her way out of the district against his men._

_"You give me gold." Amid started, reappearing and sitting down once again. He handed her the rolled map and she took it. He nodded for her to look at it. "I give you God. Fair trade?"_

_"Always." Regina smirked, shaking his hand._

_"It was a pleasure."_

_"I only come for the Masala tea, Amid."_

_"I'm not surprised at all my friend…I have to ask, what exactly are you going to do with an enchanted heart?"_

_"That's my business, Amid." He agreed silently._

_Regina bowed her head to him and again he turned it. She stood and exited, tucking the map inside her coat before returning through the corridors that led out to the market._

_She was holding something that could finally break her curse. If she traded her heart for this one, her suffering would be over._

* * *

"You're thinking about it too much, love." Killian chuckled lightly. He took a drink from the frosted bottle in his hands. "Rum?"

Regina frowned, rubbing at the odd feeling in the back of her neck. She put out her hand to reach for the bottle he was holding out to her and Killian leaned forward to place it in her hand. She stood up from the edge of the bed, downing a big gulp of it as she walked around the massive bedroom.

"You're different." He commented, putting his arms behind his head as he laid back against the pillows.

"How so?" Regina grabbed her robe and slipped into it.

"Our fucking wasn't…fucking…not like how you are with others. Less aggressive. Something wrong?"

"Every time I find myself slipping more and more into my curse…I welcome it but then: Emma."

"What does that mean?" He frowned.

"Sex, killing, stealing…in all those moments, she's in my head and can't do it."

"Have you given any thought to her relation to your curse, love?" Regina sighed and Killian shook his head at her stubbornness. She may have admitted that to herself very reluctantly but she wouldn't dare say it out loud. "Maybe if you gave it a chance for once."

"I'm 126 years old. I've matured."

"No you've given up hope. If you were mature you'd listen to the one thing every reasonable person has told you about Emma." Regina rolled her eyes. "Despite your obvious blindness, Emma is clearly taken with you. She likes you."

She scoffed even though she knew it was true. She may have been numb to emotions but she still knew the signs of infatuation.

"If it's because of her state when you found her, she's far from the frail woman you found. It's been only a few days and well…she's already managed to disarm me three times. I believe she's very well capable of handling herself…and making her own decisions. Especially regarding you."

* * *

"Good morning, Captain." Ruby smirked watching Killian trail after her.

"Ruby." Regina nodded, dismissively. The younger woman watched her as she moved across the foyer heading for the door. "I'm going out. I'll be back before nightfall."

"Regina-"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't argue with me today, Ruby." She said in a tone firm enough to imply, she wasn't going to be persuaded. "I'd like for you to arrange a meeting with Mr. French."

"Okay…"

"I need to speak with him about his wife."

"His wife?" Ruby frowned, trying to walk over to her only to be stopped by the mansion's staff going about their business. As soon as there was an opening between the them she slipped over to her. "What does she have to do with anything? She's dead."

"But do you know anything about her?"

"No. It's irrelevant."

"So you say, which means I should look into it." Regina said holstering her pistol. "Watch over my guests, please. And I've been informed that Emma has disarmed Killian…on several occasions and I believe you would now be better suited to teach her. You were an assassin."

"You're a pirate menace, maybe you should teach her."

Ruby sucked in a sharp breath as Regina stepped up to her, invading her personal space. That hostile look in her eye was there but it was…less. Less than it had been before.

"You should thank her. My…fondness of you has grown since our meeting. Otherwise, I would've killed you for that comment."

"Fine. I'll teach your princess." Ruby sighed, folding her arms over her chest as Regina left out the front door.

She stood there for a moment before she decided to go find Emma. She had questions that apparently on the mute woman could answer. Brushing off Killian's attempt to ask her a question, Ruby went out to the courtyard. She found Emma there but she was with someone else.

It was instinct and a bad habit of hers to eavesdrop. Although, if questioned about it, she could always use the excuse of her job to protect the estate and Regina. So, Ruby stayed behind a pillar watching the two blondes.

"So, aside from living like an actual princess here…" Thea said. Emma shoved her with her elbow as she lightly practiced her sword movements. "Captain Mills…? Any progress there?"

Emma frowned in confusion, planting the tip of her sword in the grass. Ruby peeked around the pillar she was behind, finding the progress a bit suspicious considering she didn't know either of them very well. In response to the question, Emma just shrugged shyly. Ruby rolled her eyes noticing how endearing the gesture was.

"So the whole curse thing hasn't come up yet? She hasn't said anything?"

'No,' Emma answered silently. 'Why?'

"I don't know…because I guess you and I missed out on all the adventures. When we were kids there used to be so many stories. All her adventures but you, Emma, you could break her curse and that's probably the biggest adventure she's ever going to go on."

'I don't know…'

"We wanted to be pirates…well, you wanted to be a pirate and I wanted everything my big sister wanted, so here we are." Thea said, picking up the sword that laid against the fountain. "Well, sis, I think I want that rematch now."

* * *

_"Emma. Be careful with that."_

_Emma smiled up to her father and nodded before eagerly running off to the yard with a younger blonde girl running behind her. She stopped just short of the small stream running through their yard and turned around to face her sister._

_Wooden swords at the ready, they giggled at each other._

_"Alright girls. No foul play." Their father called from the doorway of their home._

_"Yes, Daddy." Thea nodded, giggling at Emma's confused look._

_"Now, swords up." They both raised them. "Youngest gets the first strike."_

_Emma frowned._

_With less than ideal posture or precision, Thea lunged first._

* * *

A sharp clash of metal echoed throughout the courtyard and Ruby watched the 'princess' disarm her sister within a couple minutes. Her stance was flawless and her attacks were brought with a steady hand. Her counterattacks were almost textbook; like she'd been doing this for years.

"Thea." A voice called from the other side of the courtyard and Ruby watched the younger woman pass a few words to Emma before leaving in the direction of the voice after a quick hug.

The moment she was sure they would be alone, Ruby moved from her hiding spot and approached Emma practicing her swing. A very firm swing to her right had her ducking under the blonde's extended arm, appearing in front of her. Emma startled and dropped her arm to her side.

"Oh, don't stop on my account." She smirked. "I'm just observing."

Emma raised an eyebrow at her, still unwilling to move her sword from her side. She watched her walk a circle around her, not saying a word as she eyed her up and down. She jumped when a warm hand pressed into her left upper arm. A frown crossed her features.

"Well, physically you are no helpless princess…although I can see why she would call you one." Ruby chuckled. "It's the hair." Emma smiled in amusement at that. "So, Regina suggested you start training with me now that you've passed the first stage of kicking Jones' ass. Of course, she said in that awkward way she does when it's about you."

'Awkward?' Emma questioned.

"Yes. You don't notice? Her ways are different and, despite what she thinks, she does have a heart and it does work. It's just very subdued by her curse. I would've thought it would be obvious to you that she, in her own way, has feelings for you." Ruby noticed the confusion seemed to fade away and Emma knew exactly what she was talking about. Like she has seen it. "She's protective of you. She's always trying her best to impress you. Although I'm sure she's hidden from you all the times she gets upset with herself when she's shown her cruelty crudeness and harshness in your presence."

'I have seen it.'

Ruby read the words from her lips and nodded in thought. "Let's not forget she follows you around like a puppy. Worrying and hovering. You enjoy the attention. You're attracted to her." Emma looked as if she wanted to deny it but she didn't. "It's alright. I was too. Still am but my heart is elsewhere in the romantic sense."

'Maybe I am.' Emma shrugged, sitting the sword down.

"You're changing her and you will keep changing her. It's not as much pressure as we've made it out to be. Just keep being you. Whatever it is that you see in her, don't give up on it." Ruby sighed and shook her head. "That's where all her other lovers went wrong. They couldn't see past what her curse made her."

'She saved me.'

"She did." Their eyes met and an understanding passed between them. An agreement. "I won't train you. If you can take down Killian, then you'll do just fine in battle. Regina taught him herself." She pointed her head towards the door that led directly into the library and started walking. Emma glanced around before she followed behind her.

"I won't teach you swordplay but I will help you break her curse…" She started, opening the door. Emma's eyes widened at the sight of the books taking over every inch of space of the shelf walls. She stepped forward, wanting to explore the room but Ruby's hand was flat against her chest. "But first, I need you to punch me."

Emma frowned and shook her head.

"Listen, Regina has very interesting tantrums when people don't do as she says, so let's not make her suspicious. You have to do it."

'Okay.'

"Good. Not in the nose."


	12. Chapter 12

Dinner was quiet. It was always quiet but it seemed worse since Ruby was faking a training session with Emma. Her cheek hurt like hell so there wasn't much to pretend except explaining how and why Emma did it. Regina had asked twice before dropping the subject.

It didn't much help that Regina sat at the head of the table, shoving her food around her plate and glancing at her face. She eyed the red mark on her cheek intensely for a few moments before looking back to the plate. And then repeat.

Ruby picked up her glass, working her jaw to soothe the stiffness. Emma had an unbelievable arm. One day she'd get her back for that.

Regina let go of her fork and it clattered against her plate, echoing off the walls. Everyone paused their movements and watched her carefully.

Everyone except Ruby.

Ruby never cared to entertain Regina's 'tantrums', as she liked to call them. To her, dealing with a cursed pirate was nearly the equivalent as a bad tempered child. Although, she found it easier to pacify Regina. A child took too much time to calm.

With the woman at the end of the table, opposite Emma, all it took – when she was in the mood – was to practically drag her to the big bed room and initiate gentle lovemaking with Regina's angry, stiff form until she relaxed enough to fully participate. The need for that hasn't come up in a while and hopefully at some point she could pass it off to Emma who could probably calm her with a touch on the cheek or something even less than that.

Charlotte was always cautious because she didn't enjoy it when Regina went on a tirade and started throwing things and making a mess of the house. Bailey was a nervous mess all the time so his widened eyes and trembling hands went ignored.

Then there were the three guests.

Killian stayed for dinner occasionally and he was used to things like this. Thea was starting to get used to the outburst of sudden anger. And Emma, determined to do whatever she could for her, quietly dropped her fork and looked across the long table over to Regina.

She had been ignoring the whispers and looks she'd been getting since the first night she had dinner here. Regina pulled out the chair for her at the end of the table and took her own seat at the other end. No one had ever sat there.

Silence consumed the room and everyone was practically drowning in it until Regina abruptly stood up. Her side of the table rattled and her glass tipped over the edge of the table. She stormed out without a word.

No one said anything. No one got up. Emma looked around and frowned at them, unmoving in their seats.

"Well…" Killian sighed. "I can say I didn't do it this time. Might have been your face, Lucas."

"We'll see if you look any better after I rearrange your face with this spoon." Ruby held up the soup spoon and pointed it at him.

Emma looked to Charlotte who had no intentions of stopping them from going at each other's throats and rolled her eyes. Bailey was long gone. Her sister was too caught up in her food to care and just shrugged when she met Emma's stare. She frowned at them noticing no one thought to go after her and probably for good reason.

So, she went instead. Ruby and Killian ceased their fighting, watching her leave.

Emma found her in her room. She looked around with wide eyes. The ceiling felt miles above her. The gold trim around the room did and didn't seem like Regina. She was a pirate. But she was a queen as well. She had walked through the wrong door and nearly fell into the big circle in the center of the floor. Her feet stopped short of the bath, devoid of water and sure to hurt if she fell in.

"Drink? Something strong?" Regina questioned. Emma looked over to the attached room and followed her voice. She was standing at the cabinet and she sighed. "I need it."

Emma didn't answer and plucked the empty glass from her hands. Regina frowned at her but she ignored it, sitting the glass back on the surface of the shelf and placed the bottle of alcohol back into the cabinet.

"I'll take that as a no." Regina muttered.

She didn't resist when Emma pushed her over to the bed, forcing her to sit down as she sat next to her. Anger was still burning off her and it was easy to tell from the way her fists opened and closed tight, more than likely creating indentations in her palms that would bleed if Emma let her continue.

'What's wrong?' Emma mouthed when Regina finally turned to look at her.

"I don't know. I'm just angry." She admitted and clenched her fists tightly in her lap. "I'm always angry. Don't be surprised."

'I'm not.' Emma touched her arm lightly before she took a breath and pressed her hand to Regina's cheek. She watched closely as she stiffened and then the anger faded slowly, lulling the pirate into a tranquil state. Her shoulders sagged. The tension rolled off her in waves.

Not even bothering to question why the urge snuck up on her, Emma leaned over. Regina caught the movement just in time and turned her head. Emma's lips connected with her cheek.

"You can't save me."

Emma sighed as Regina stood up and went back to pouring herself a drink. She didn't say anything after that and Emma didn't make another attempt to persuade her and after watching her down two glasses of an unknown liquid, she quietly left the room.

The pirate watched her go from the corner of her eye. She poured a third glass and then took it in one drink. Her anger had vanished at Emma's touch. That had been one thing but she kissed her cheek and something warm and nervous exploded in her stomach and in her chest.

She hadn't felt that in a long time.

* * *

Mr. French sat stiffly in the parlor. News of Regina's return spread like a wildfire and he knew the moment his presence was requested back to the estate, the sessions of interviewing with Ruby were now over. He was to be left in the hands of Regina Mills herself.

It both relieved and terrified him.

Relief faded completely now as he sat there listening to the whispers just outside the doorway of the room. One of them had to be _her_. He shifted in his seat, eyes glued to the glass of water offered to him. He hadn't touched it because of his jittery nerves. God forbid he break something in the same house as her.

"Leave us." A voice finally said loud enough for him to hear clearly. His eyes darted up to the door as a pair of feet started to leave in the opposite direction. And then she appeared.

French stood up wringing his hat in his hands. He gave her a quick glance, gulping nervously. Tight pants, knee high boots, and not enough shirt under the tight corset to hide the cleavage that was too distracting. When his eyes finally locked on to her face, Regina pulled the smoking pipe from her lips and smirked at him.

"See something you like, Mr. French?" She questioned and his eyes dropped to the ground. She rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy breath of smoke from her nose as she walked forward into the room. "Have a seat."

He obeyed immediately.

"Your Majesty-"

"Please be silent." Regina ordered sitting down on the other side of the table that separated them. She dropped several pages marked furiously with ink. Maurice's eyes flickered to the parchments and then back up to her again.

"Do you know what these are, hm?"

He cleared his throat. "They are-"

"They are documents about everyone your daughter knows. Anyone that might have taken her. And you provided most of this, yes?"

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty."

Regina stared at him for a moment before she laughed. Tauntingly. With an almost evil lilt. He flinched at the sound. "A Navy man acknowledging the queen of the sea. I'm impressed by your desperation, Mr. French." Maurice slowly raised his eyes to her. She dismissively wave to the documents, inhaling from the pipe and exhaling from her nose. "These are important?"

"Yes, my daughter's kidnapper could be here. It's what your…Miss Lucas was searching for. A way to find her."

He squirmed under her intense gaze and the sudden silence. He watched her reach out with pipe in hand and tapped the edge of it against the glass of untouched water. It tipped over and spilled over the pages, blurring the words on them. Maurice jumped as if trying to save them but stayed planted on the lounge.

"You have my personal guard waste her time. You waste my time. With lies."

"I don't understand…"

"Who is her mother?" Regina asked.

"I don't see why that matters. Her mother is…dead."

A very dangerous look came over Regina's face. She plucked the pipe from between her lips and gently sat it down on the table. She leaned back in her chair, laying her arms over the armrests.

"I don't have to be violent to get what I want. It's not that I'm too pretty to have someone take me seriously. I can get anything I want from being nice and polite like a good little girl. But I enjoy it. I take pleasure…sexual, spiritual pleasure in hearing someone die painfully. Bloody, awful agony makes me something akin to happy. So, don't think because your daughter is missing and you're here asking me for help that I would spare you the same fate as all of my victims."

He stood up from the lounge, wringing the hat even more than he had been. "Captain-"

"Sit. Down." Regina ordered and was obeyed immediately. "Don't lie to me. Who is her mother?"

"It's not important-"

"Would you prefer I cut your throat or…turn your insides out, Mr. French?" The question struck fear into his eyes but he did not say a word. Then she spoke again, voice raising with every word. "You come into my home and request things of me when you have not been honest, Mr. French, if I have to ask again I will bring a thousand hells upon you and your half breed child! Who. Is. Her. Mother."

"I don't know!" He shouted, raising from the lounge when sitting down started to only bring unrest. "I don't know, Captain Mills. Truly!"

"Will you say it or shall I?" Regina watched his eyes turn away in shame. "I won't ask again."

"Her mother…"

"Is a mermaid." Regina finished. "You're a coward so don't speak anymore because now I will talk as I have been already. Your daughter. Belle. Your ears and your eyes but everything else was _her_."

"You have to understand-"

"What? What do I have to understand? You bedded a mermaid and your daughter is the result of such."

"She gave her to me. I didn't take her."

"You think me a fool?"

"No…No, Your Majesty."

"I've already figured it out. This mermaid gave you the child…" Maurice nodded frantically already sweating and trembling from the moment _his_ confession fell from _her_ lips. "Did you honestly think you needed to go searching for her because you didn't know where she was? Do you know what a mermaid is?"

"Yes, ma'am. I do. I know what they are."

"A mermaid." Regina chuckled quietly, shaking her head. "A sea siren cursed with only one day on land for infinity. The only creatures with no need but the ability to enter the cavern of the fountain of eternal youth. And you mean to tell me you have no idea where your daughter is? Why someone would've taken her from you?"

"I tried to forget it. So she could live a normal life. So that this wouldn't happen."

"Mr. French, princesses are meant to be locked away in a tower…" Maurice looked up at her from the floor. "So, that one day their prince may come." He frowned at her not understanding.

She frowned herself finding that her words were dangerously related to her complicated standing with the princess that did roam the halls of her home. And then suddenly, Maurice French became an intruder because of her words.

"I have what I need. Get out." She demanded, rising from the chair. Her movement urged him out of the room, wanting to be away from her. His face fell at the sight of some of her staff and a few guards looking his way. Regina paid them no mind as she leaned against the doorframe with the pipe settled between her fingers. "I require half my payment due before I embark on this journey for your daughter."

"Yes. I understand." He murmured facing the door, away from judging eyes.

"You have one week and a moment after that, you'll be searching for her yourself on a dinghy." He nodded silent. "Have it delivered. Don't come here again."

"Yes, Captain."

The door clicked behind him, drowning the house in complete silence. Regina turned her to the group behind her. Ruby, Emma, Thea, and Killian emerged from the courtyard, having heard the the conversation.

"I care not for any of you. If you have any sense of self preservation, you will scatter before I bleed you all and leave you for the crows."

Most of them didn't hesitate to do as she said out of fear. Bailey scurried away and Charlotte only rolled her eyes at her before leaving to find out what the handmaidens had gotten themselves into now. Ruby and party didn't move until she grasped Killian and Thea's shoulders and pushed them toward the stairs.

That left Emma. Emma who had no fear of Regina. Emma who had far too much control over the pirate.

"Please find somewhere else to be…princess." Regina said, knowing she was still there. The silence continued and for a moment she believed Emma to have listened. And then a hand touched her shoulder.

There was a "tower", a princess…and a _pirate_ all over again.

* * *

"Go away, girl. This isn't your business." Ruby muttered, pushing Thea out of the room where she and a group of guards stood around a table looking at what was possibly a map. Thea sighed and let the door close in her face.

Things were more interesting on the ship than it was at Regina's home. She half expected there to be naked women all over the house. Maybe a "party" every night and drunk sleeping during the day. Regina was actually not a disorderly, dirty pirate all the time but she figured that was because of Emma now.

She left down the hallway in search of something to entertain herself. Emma was into intense training just to impress Regina. Ruby was apart of a secret society in the drawing room-

A faint noise came from her right behind a door. She stopped and a thump came from the same door. It was still opened a crack and out of curiosity, she leaned forward and over to peek inside. Nothing was within her direct sight from her angle. Thea glanced around and then pushed the door in slowly to avoid creaks.

She edged inside and ceased all movement completely when the source of the sounds came into view. She couldn't say she was all that surprised at the sight. "Well, well…" She murmured.

Regina's first mate with his pants discarded to the floor, legs wrapped around the waist of another man with a strong back and a firm ass and a pair of hips that were thrusting quite furiously. The heavy panting was much louder and the thumping she was hearing was obviously the headboard.

"Bloody fuck…" Killian gasped out.

"Turn over. On your knees." The other man said. The voice was familiar.

Thea raised an eyebrow watching as Killian turned on his knees, leaving nothing of him to the imagination. Thea let out a yelp as she was pulled from the door. She snatched herself from the fingers holding on to her ear. A curse was seconds from coming off her tongue until she saw who it was.

"You'll do well not to snoop in on others." Regina said, narrowing her eyes at her. She glanced inside shortly, giving a look to the pair still going about their very explicit business and closing the door. "If you would like to watch, I'm sure Jones and Mr. Neal will be just fine with an audience if you asked them."

"Asked them?" Thea questioned incredulously, following behind Regina as she walked. "Ask to watch them fuck? Are you mental?"

"Not completely, dear." Regina answered. She stopped at the hall balcony that overlooked the courtyard. She leaned against the railing watching Emma practice disarming some of her guards. Thea stayed in the hallway, not seeing her sister, with her arms folded across her chest waiting to hear what Regina was going to say. "I've watched before. Most men don't mind."

"You watch other people?" Thea frowned. "That's not…never mind it. You knew about them? Together?"

"It's hard not to. They look at each other in a way…"

Thea grinned, walking forward. "The way Emma looks at you." The pirate stiffened at that but didn't turn her eyes away from Emma. Thea stepped closer, peering around Regina to see her sister down below. "The way you look at her…or at least the way you want to."

Regina only glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"You don't have to fight this. If she's not the one, then at least enjoy her company. Enjoy everything she's willing to give you." Thea moved next to her. "Emma has a big heart and I can see she'll willingly to give it to you. We're all okay with this. You should try to be."

"She deserves better."

Thea sighed and glanced down to her sister, enjoying herself far too much as she knocked over Regina's guards. "Look, she…she likes to paint. If you really care, which I know you do…she likes to paint. She's really wonderful." Regina didn't give her any indication that she was even still listening and Thea touched her arm.

"Captain, _she loves to paint_."

* * *

"Well the cook…wants to make-" Bailey clamped his mouth shut at the movement from Regina. She had been writing something but the moment Bailey started to speak her hand stopped. The scratching of the sharp point against the parchment ceased.

"Care not about what the cook wants to make for dinner. I never eat." Regina turned her eyes up to him and placed the quill down. "I want you to do something for me."

"Anything, ma'am." He nodded.

"I want you to go out…" She started, staring hard into the edge of her desk. "…painting…"

"Ma'am? You want a painting, Captain?"

"No." Regina frowned. She pulled opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled a small black bag out. She placed it on top of the parchment she had been writing on. Bailey walked over cautiously and at the nod of her head, he took the bag. He opened it in his hand revealing dozens of pieces of silver. A few gold pieces here and there. "Painting supplies, Bailey. Go find the best there is and purchase them."

"Yes, Captain." He nodded and started out of the room.

"Leave this out of the books." She instructed. "It's a personal matter. Personal purchase."

"Of course, Ma'am."

Bailey closed the doors to her study behind him. He wasn't one to gossip with the rest of the staff but he was sure this was something Ruby would've liked to hear about.

Keep them out of the books?

Oh, yes this was about her princess. Her Emma.

* * *

Graham walked into the alley, shrouded in the dark of night. These meetings were becoming more of a habit than he thought. Four summers ago, approached in the night by Regina Mills and he didn't think he'd be doing this now. Spying for the pirates. He didn't hate the job. Captain Mills didn't care much for the spoils of her journeys. So she paid well for a spy.

This wasn't going to pay well.

He leaned against the stone wall, reaching for his pipe. "You've managed to piss off a lot of people, Sir. Are you really only in the good graces of a mute blonde woman?" He chuckled.

"I'm doing what I must to return to my wife and child." Daniel answered emerging from the shadows. He walked over to Graham glancing left and right for any sign of movement and pulled his hood back.

"Help Regina. Help the Navy. Either way you'll never return home. They both result in war. A war you must fight in. Possibly die in."

"You have so many enemies because you don't know whose side you're on. You became a Navy man because you betrayed her. And you became a pirate because-"

"I became a pirate to look after my brother." Daniel argued. "We may be on different sides of this but he is still my family."

"You're still in love with that woman." Graham said looking at him. Really looking at him. He looked torn between many things. There was no simple black and white in government and rebellion. "But you love your wife. What are you doing, Colter? The game you're playing, you won't survive."

"Game?"

"You playing with men who claim to be god and a woman who is surely the devil. Why have you called me here?"

"I've seen her." Daniel said in whisper. "The woman. She's the one. She can break it. Her name-"

"Don't say her name." Graham ordered. "Don't describe her to me. I won't be tortured for such information. You will. Why are you here?"

"I'm deep in the plans of the Navy. Maps. Plans. Alliances."

"And?"

"You spy for Regina. She would want to know such information."

"But no, you're a good man, Daniel. And she's the enemy. So as you give up these things to me what do you give Britain in return?"

"That's my business."

"Very well, Colter. You know Regina. She wants their ships so give them to me."

* * *

In the night was when it was the hardest.

One could only just try to move on from being a prisoner. It was easier to do when there were distractions…and daylight. For Emma, she spent time with her sister and sometimes with the ominous pirate that she didn't find all that scary. Sword fighting. Watching Bailey lose his marbles whenever he was surprised by something. All that was easy distraction.

Night was shrouded in darkness and shadows and the nightmares came. They had every night since she came into Regina's home. Tonight was no different.

Emma tossed and turned roughly in the giant bed that was now hers in the house. She twitched and trembled, fists clenching and unclenching the bedding. She sweated through the sheets and through her clothes. All until the nightmare ended with that same face and those same hands about hurt her again.

Emma forced herself awake and her body rigidly bucked forward in bed. Her chest heaved thickly as she wiped the back of her hand over her brow. Her ability to actually rest well was fading. Charlotte was the only one to know about her nightmares as the woman had questioned her sternly after the second time of having to change soaked sheets. Her sister would've worried herself to the death.

She didn't need worry or concern. Emma needed sleep. She had gotten plenty of that back on the ship and it seemed the only difference was that this bed she laid in now was _her_ bed. Back on the ship, she slept in someone else's bed.

The realization came as a relief and she pushed the sheets away from her body and pressed her feet into the cold floor. Emma padded quietly out of the room, noting the guard that was slumped against the wall, snoring loudly down the hall. She walked over to the first set of big double doors and slipped inside, closing the door slowly behind her. She walked forward and turned to her right, passing the bath infused in the marble floor and walked through the wide archway that led into Regina's bedroom.

The woman was asleep much to Emma's surprise. And she was alone. It was perfect. She moved closer towards the bed, heading towards the empty side of the bed. Pulling the sheets back she found that Regina was in only a nightshirt and nothing else but not many things bothered her about this woman, so she slipped in anyway.

The sheets were warmer. The bed felt softer. The body next to her brought a lot of comfort as it always had back on the ship. Emma let out a sigh, pulling the sheets over her shoulders and turning on her side to face Regina's sleeping form. The pirate stirred beside her, turning on her side. Her eyes squinted open for a few seconds, landing on Emma before slipping closed again and fell back into her deep sleep.

Emma moved in closer to her and brushed her fingers against Regina's, letting the familiar comfort of her savior's presence lull her into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Immortal as she was, her body didn't much appreciate the abuse it went through. Regina woke up with the sun shining into her bedroom from the big windows. She groaned at the stiffness in her body and made to stretch out when, it finally registered to her that there was a body very close to hers.

She really woke up then. Legs were tangled up in hers and her arm was growing numb under the weight of a warm body. Having someone come to bed with her the previous night was something that she didn't remember happening. On occasion she wouldn't mind sleeping with someone in her arms and herself in theirs but it was nice to know who first.

She thought to slip away now until she finally looked over to the person. All curiosity faded from her. It was Emma and she vaguely remembers seeing the woman last night but she thought it was a dream.

Emma was tucked into her side, one arm pulled to her chest and trapped between them. The other thrown over her waist, now resting on her stomach. One leg was under hers and the other was over it. And that arm that was stuck under her wasn't exactly trapped. She was holding Emma close and she slowly turned back to the position she had been in, finding that her other arm had been around her, her cheek against Emma's forehead.

"Captain." Ruby started barging into the room. She stopped when she laid eyes on the woman and the other woman in bed with her. Regina started to move and she raised her hand. "Please, Regina just stay. You just stay right there. Sleep in."

"Nothing happened." Regina said defensively.

"Pity." Ruby sighed. "I know that though. Apparently you two did a lot of sleeping together back on the Hangman."

"My bed was comfortable."

"Every bed in this house is comfortable. Just accept that she wants to be here with you. Let her. Don't wake her up because you want to run away. Just lay there. Sleep more. God knows you need it."

Ruby didn't leave room for the argument Regina wanted to start and turned on her heel to leave. Regina glanced down to Emma's sleeping face and listened to the sound of Ruby's boots until she heard the doors close behind her.

At the sound Emma shifted around, pushing herself away from Regina and stretching out. The pirate stared at her wide eyed hoping she wouldn't wake up. They'd never woken up together. She always left before Emma woke up.

The blonde's hand landed on her face for a moment before she turned on to her stomach, dropping her cheek to Regina's chest and draping her arm over her stomach. In response, now that her aggressive arousal wasn't so aggressive, Regina laid her arm down across the pillows, above Emma's head and tentatively let her hand rest on top of Emma's arm over her.

She let out a big breath as if this had been a very trying endeavor but Emma was warm against her. Like few other things in her life this felt nice. Emma was here because she wanted to be. She was choosing this and so long as the blonde was safe – because she was still trying to convince herself that she only cared for her safety and that was all – she could live with this.

* * *

Item clattered loudly, interrupting the quiet that had been reigning on most of the house. Emma had been averted from beating up Regina's previously unstoppable guards after the pirate had quietly left the painting supplies Bailey had purchased in her own room where she found Emma sleeping yet again. So much silence was a good day for meditation…until Bailey came along.

Regina let out a deep breath, refusing to open her eyes to mess he'd obviously made. Although she couldn't resist raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Mr. French has had his payment delivered." Bailey said shakily, sounding closer with every word. She held out her hand, unmoving from her position on the floor.

A letter was placed into her hand and she rubbed the parchment between her fingers. Bailey watched her and glanced around to the candles and the other things burning around them. Their smoke was black and blue and smelled of something he couldn't identify.

"The rest of it?" Regina questioned.

"In the parlor, Captain." She hummed distractedly and inhaled deeply again. "May I ask what you are doing?"

"Cultural difference, Bailey. Go see the world and be open to what they offer you."

"Sorry?"

After a particularly annoyed exhale, she sighed. "I'm finding my soul."

"I see." He nodded and then frowned as her hand holding the letter dipped low over a candle. The letter caught fire and she dropped it to the floor as if that wasn't a problem. In his natural need to panic, he reached out his foot and stepped on the angry little flame. He pulled the letter with his foot over to himself and frowned at the woman.

The doors opened against and Regina's brow creased. There was a stumble and more items fell to the floor, creating an even louder interruption. Bailey looked uneasily down at her growing frustration. "What is that?" She questioned with a sharp bite in her tone.

"It's Miss Swan, Ma'am." He answered as Emma appeared next to him. She had a smile on her face and she was looking down at Regina with excitement in her eyes. "She seems joyed by something."

Regina hummed again, still not opening her eyes. "Leave us."

"Of course." Bailey said quickly, turning on his heel to escape the room. He glanced at Emma skeptically but left anyway, closing the doors behind him.

"What is it you need, Emma?" Regina asked, knowing she'd have to open her eyes eventually to see what she wanted.

Emma stared down at her with her smile still in place. She clasped her hands behind her back, rocking on the balls of her feet. Regina sensed that she was just standing there and obviously making no move to explain her presence. Although, Emma has never felt the need to explain why she likes to spend so much time around her.

"What are you smiling about?" She asked, feeling Emma start to move around. She frowned hearing a candle be blown out. And another. And another. "What are you doing?"

Emma grinned amusingly at her and blew out another candle.

"I understand that you are purposely trying to bother me, Miss Swan. Why?" She received silence in return and more candles were put out for the blonde's amusement. "Please stop that."

'No.' Emma mouthed and watched Regina's face crease in an even bigger frown. She heard that.

"Em-" She sighed hearing her last candle being put out. "I suppose that means I'm done here."

There was movement to her right and she was about to open her eyes to throw a glare at Emma when she suddenly felt a body settle down in her lap. Her skin tingled and she let out a groan of discomfort. Regina opened her eyes to Emma dangerously close to her.

"We've talked about this." She said unevenly. That terrible feeling of arousal rolled around in her stomach. They were just sitting here. Maybe Emma was purposely being suggestive in her placement but they were just sitting and this was happening again. She looked into Emma's eyes and saw that she had no intention of moving.

Regina cursed herself as her hand fell to the inside of Emma's thigh. Emma jumped at the contact but didn't seem bothered by it. She was purposely choosing to stay.

The last time this happened, back on the ship things were different. They didn't really know each other and Emma thought her attachment to the pirate was purely because of a bit of infatuation she with woman who saved her. Now she knew she had feelings for her that ran deeper than that and of course she wanted to be with this woman in several ways. She just had to prove that this was all okay. That she was strong enough to handle this. She wasn't running away when the demons started to show.

"You need to go now." Regina said, starting to trembling as her control slipped away from her. "Please…" Emma touched her arm softly and the pirate grimaced. She turned her head and bit into Emma's arm.

It didn't break the skin but would probably leave a red mark. Emma didn't care. She reached up and pressed her hand into Regina's hair, cradling her head lightly.

"I don't want to hurt you. Go." Regina said again.

Emma pulled up her other hand, detaching the teeth clinging to her arm, and took the other side of Regina's face. She forced her to look up at her. The brown eyes were pleading up at her but her green were only staring down at her with something Regina refused to think was love.

Emma leaned down and her intentions were clear.

"Don't. I'll hurt you."

Emma smiled softly at her and shook her head. Regina let out a strained breathed as Emma continued to move, her nose brushing against hers. Then her lips were on hers. The trembling stopped and the brunette's body relaxed without her knowledge.

It was soft and warm. There was passion there and love where all the other kisses she's had were rough and meant nothing more than one night. It was new. She'd never felt it before. The warmth that it caused. The moment where her heart started to beat stiffly in her chest. It was new and while Emma kissed her with her hands on either side of her face, her eyes closed, Regina stared up at her in disbelief until the moment Emma started to pull away.

Regina followed her lips in longing but Emma was already pulled away and then for a short moment she was back again, stealing the breath from her lungs. When she pulled away that time she found Regina's eyes hooded and the woman lifted her chin as if wanting to share another but stopped when she realized that she wasn't already shoving Emma hard into the floor and being too aggressive with rough hands and unpassionate touches. That arousal in her stomach had stopped. Her hands were still. Her chest was sore from the beating that had just occurred under her skin. She looked up at Emma still unsure what just happened but her lips were wanting to smile and she was trying to stop them.

"I-" Emma brushed her thumb over Regina's bottom lip and smiled that soft smile again. Like she knew something.

And then what was there to say really?

Regina opened her mouth to try and find something but choked, her brow crinkling in confusion. Fear appeared in Emma's eyes and she held on to Regina's face as the woman's eyes rolled back into her head and her body started to go limp.

Emma lowered her to the floor with her face contorted in confusion and some concern. She shook Regina's face between her hands and watched with wide eyes a red mist escaped from the woman's lips.

Her hand was the first thing she noticed. It started to quake, her knuckles knocking against the wood of the floor. Emma pulled her hands as the body under her started to quiver violently. She jumped off of her and sprung up to her feet, backing away slowly. She gave another look at Regina's convulsing form and left the room quickly on shaking legs.

She burst through the first door she came across and nearly passed out at the inconvenience it was that Killian and Neal had been going at it at every moment alone they could. Unlike her sister, Emma turned away from the sight of Jones with his trousers around his ankles and Neal on his knees in front of him.

She wanted to throw something at them but she ran off to the next door with Killian scrambling to get his pants back up his legs and calling after her because he saw something scared in her eyes.

Emma's hand pressed into the middle of the door and Ruby was in a chair of the library with a book in her lap and a bottle of rum in her hand. The brunette looked up at the sound of her, Killian and Neal flustered far behind her. She stood from the chair, letting the book fall to the floor.

"Where is she?" Was the first thing off her lips and Emma left from the doorway, pushing passed Neal. Ruby followed behind her shouting Charlotte's name as she marched passed the two confused men, who looked at each other and then followed.

They were back at the door of the room Regina was using for meditation and Charlotte was there looking on with almost frightened eyes as Regina's body continued to shudder audibly against the floorboards, blood now leaking from her nose.

Everyone poured in, Emma hanging back behind them. Charlotte instructed Killian and Neal to hold Regina down. Ruby looked on for a moment before turning back to Emma who looked up at her like a scared child. She stalked up to her and grabbed her chin hard. Two fingers roughly wiped at Emma's lips and she pulled her hand away looking intently at her fingers and then up to Emma's face.

"You kissed her." Ruby stated.

"What's wrong with her?" Killian asked, sounding just as terrified as Emma looked. Ruby knew with Regina they were children. The two people Regina cared most about, scared that her time was ending.

Her time was just beginning.

But she didn't smile at either of them.

"Her curse is breaking."

* * *

"It's been quite some time hasn't it, dearie?" A rather high-pitched voice giggled, though it seemed to lack some of its usual disturbing joy.

Regina groaned at the sound. The moment that her consciousness had returned to her, she had known exactly where she was. Even if it had been a long time since it had last happened, it was still rather difficult to forget what it felt like to be dragged down to Hell. After a moment of consideration, she opened her eyes and saw that she was indeed where she believed, she could just feel it, but she still didn't recognize everything.

There had never been sand before.

"Where the hell am I?" She sighed as she pushed herself up to a standing position.

Gold glanced around and shrugged. "Absolutely no idea, I thought that it would make an interesting change of pace."

Regina clenched her left fist and brought up her other hand so that she could pinch the bridge of her nose. As much as she was experienced with these kinds of incidents than any other person in the world, that didn't mean that she even remotely enjoyed being faced with the Devil once more. That was the very reason that she had been so obedient for such a long time but she had been rather distracted lately by a certain blonde.

"What is it that you want?" She asked through gritted teeth. She had no idea what happens to her physical body whenever she was summoned to Hell, but she couldn't imagine that it was pleasant and she needed to get back as soon as possible since the thought of scaring her princess made her physically sick.

"That's an odd way to address the Prince of Darkness." Gold said with a tilted head. Regina knew that his calm façade wouldn't last long but she still was not in the mood to be polite to the man who had made her life a living hell.

"I know exactly why I'm here." She said after a moment of silence passed and a knowing smirk appeared on her face. "I haven't been following your orders as of late and you want to know why."

The man quirked an eyebrow but also clenched his jaw at the same time, it was obvious that she was toeing a thin line right now and he was sure that his resistance against his urge to flog her would wane soon. He did enjoy her pain more than he did anyone else's.

"I know the exact reason." He replied. "And your romance with your dear princess will be as short lived as any other you've had."

"And yet, you never once summoned me when I was with Daniel." Regina retorted with narrowed eyes.

"You never once neglected your responsibilities during your dalliance with him."

"But I'm sure if I had, you would have had him killed by now." Regina muttered with a frown. Her stomach twisted at the thought of what the Devil himself would do to Emma if he could, but then something occurred to her and her frown deepened. If Gold wanted Emma dead, why wasn't the blonde long gone?

Gold stared at her for a moment longer before he said. "I didn't call you here to chat about your lovers. I wish to make a deal."

"About Emma?"

"You let that woman go and I will give you anything that you could ever want. I'll give you treasures, give your crew immortality, I'll even make your urges more bearable."

Regina stood dumbfounded as she inspected the desperate expression underneath his usual air of confidence. She had never once seen him afraid that he wouldn't get exactly what he wanted, which meant that there was a good chance that he was about to lose everything.

"What I want is to be free of my curse." Regina said slowly. "If your reaction is any indication, it would appear that is already happening. How could you possibly offer me anything more?"

"Your curse is more complex than you will ever understand." Gold growled, clenching his hands at his sides. "Do you honestly believe that your little princess will stick with you to the bitter end?"

"With one kiss, she has relieved the most painful part of my curse. And now I'm starting to believe that you haven't already forced me to kill her because you...can't." Another smirk appeared on her face when pieces and revelations started to fall into place. "One can only assume then, that when I'm in her presence, you lose your control over me as the curse weakens."

Regina laughed with the glee that she hadn't felt in a long time, though the joy was still more muted to what she would be able to feel without her curse. This time, Gold snarled and strode over to her with one hand open. But before he could close his hand around the throat, it suddenly became transparent and went straight through her.

Regina furrowed her brow, before it occurred to her what happened. "Emma must still be near me so you can't do me any harm. I think you'll see the original deal with my mother through, won't you?"

The Devil's face contorted into one of absolute rage and he took a step back reluctantly. "You may be safe for now, but we both know that she can't be with you every moment until your curse is broken. And whenever she is gone, you will feel pain beyond what you have ever felt before! If you think you've suffered all these years, I'll show you suffering in its true form!"

Before the pirate could make any kind of come back, she felt her body being engulfed in smoke and she knew that her consciousness was being returned to her body.


	13. Chapter 13

The whole house was whispering. It sounded almost like happy whispers. And if they were happy then most would be sure it was about Ruby's revelation of Regina's curse having been cracked because Emma.

When Regina woke up, said whispers echoed in her head but they weren't anything she could comprehend. She vaguely recognized the ceiling of her bedroom when she opened her eyes. Everything seemed normal other her curse being chiseled at but she was curious as to what had transpired in her absence. She tried to push herself up, only to be forced back down by her body that ached unlike it every had. For a moment, she wasn't exactly sure she was completely in her body still.

There was movement to her left and she looked over to see Emma getting up from her desk with a crystal glass in her hands. It was water rippling around in it and then she had noticed that her throat was drier than the desert. Emma carefully made her way to the middle of the bed looking down at her with concern and relief.

Regina tried to push herself up and was met with resistance but Emma cupped the back of her neck to help her up. She offered the glass to her and she accepted it, drinking without pause until there was nothing left inside. Emma took it from her and moved to refill it, stopped by the hand on her arm.

She looked back to Regina curiously and the woman gave her a small smile. "I…thank you. I'm fine." Emma nodded and looked her over. She looked okay but after the way she lost consciousness, bloody and trembling, Emma was still worried. Although that didn't stop her from being relieved to see her awake and well.

She dropped the glass to the sheets and took Regina into a hug. She nuzzled herself into her shoulder and felt as if she was never going to let go of her for the sake of never having to witness that again. But it felt different when Regina put her arms around her waist. Everything felt a little different.

"I'm sorry, my princess." Regina whispered against her hair. Emma pulled away and kissed her nose before rested their foreheads together. "Thank you, Emma."

* * *

Ruby watched from the bed as Regina pushed through her shirts. She didn't have one on already leaving her bare skin for observance. She'd seen the scars before. They were from punishment on behalf of the Devil. Some were from capture and torture. Very few left were love marks. Bites and scratches that never faded.

Although now Ruby looked and saw that half of her back was now unmarred by the hardships of her long life. Unblemished, perfect olive skin. That was something new. Ruby found herself up from the bed and right behind Regina who was too distracted to notice the invasion of her personal space. She reached out and touched her skin. Regina jumped under her hand and then shivered as her warm fingers gently traveled down her spine.

Normally she would reject the contact but she enjoyed the feeling of no longer being aroused by the simplest of touches. Ones that weren't meant to be sexual that became sex the next minute were now just touches. Touches that she could now castoff or accept and that was end and it was now a choice for her and the other person if contact became something more.

"The red one." Ruby said. "Emma likes you in the red blouse."

Instead of frowning and denying that she was looking to impress Emma. There wasn't even a little bit of hesitation. Regina nodded and pulled the red garment out. Ruby stepped away, removing her hand as she pulled the shirt over her head. She slipped away and tucked it into her pants loosely.

"Some of them are gone. Your scars." Ruby said quietly. Regina turned to her and showed the one over her heart. The cracked wound had vanished some. The younger woman walked over to her and brushed her fingers against it. "You can feel that?"

"No. Nothing." Regina replied as Ruby moved behind her, placing her hands on her arms.

The air around them suddenly warmed and she felt lips press to the right side of her neck. She frowned at the fact that she wasn't feeling much more than a few tingles here and there. She turned her head and their lips met. A few kisses were exchanged until Ruby seemed satisfied by her conclusion and pulled away.

"Anything?"

"No."

"It's gone." She nodded.

"It really took using your lips to find that out?" Regina smirked. Ruby rested her chin on her shoulder.

"No, but sometimes I do miss kissing you." She admitted and kissed the corner of her mouth. "Now we need to talk."

"About?"

"You practically fell violently ill in front of Emma and you've been completely absent from your body for nearly a day. You seem happy almost and I'm positive it has something to do with what happened while you were out."

"The Devil wanted to see me. He wanted to make a deal with me if I got rid of Emma."

"You said no right?"

"Of course I did."

"That makes it obvious your curse is breaking but I suppose he didn't make it that easy for you."

"So long as Emma is close by he cannot command me to do much of anything or harm me."

"And when Emma isn't close?"

"I will handle that pain when it happens."

Ruby nodded her understanding. Didn't mean that she had to be okay with the side effects of this curse breaking.

* * *

Belle closed her eyes and sighed in resignation.

She was sure that after all the time that had passed – not that she had any idea how long she had been locked up – that she should be used to the gentle sway of the ship and she was but it was the slow dripping that go on her nerves. She wished that she had the authority to ask someone to plug the hole so that she could actually get some decent rest.

The brunette brought her hand up to her temple and lightly rubbed it, though she knew that there was no way that she would be rid of the raging headache, considering the fact that she hadn't been given nearly enough water at this point. Whoever had captured her, gave her just enough food and water so that she could stay alive until the end of the journey.

She didn't know where they were going or even why the people who had kidnapped her wanted so desperately to take her there. If they intended to hold her for ransom, all they would need to do is to hold her for a simple few hours until her father would bring them all the money they could possibly want. As far as she was aware, the only significant aspect about her was her father's wealth and it wasn't exactly as though they were the wealthiest family that they could have chosen.

She brought her arms around her knees and tried in vain to bring them closer to her body, as though it would provide her the heat that she had been missing for so long. However, she barely had any body weight left and there was also the fact that she was wearing a thin white dress, no doubt so that her captures could ensure that there was no way that she was hiding any way of escaping.

"Are you cold?" A male voice asked, his words laced heavily with concern.

He hadn't been there yesterday. They must have locked him up while she was sleeping.

Belle's head lolled to the side, looking through the bars to her fellow prisoner. She smiled gently into the darkness that consumed him until the outline of his form moving. He appeared in the dim light with a rough bear and shaggy hair but a friendly smile. He wrapped his hands around the bars.

"Are you cold?" He asked again.

"I am but I'm only meant to survive the journey, not much else." Belle replied. The man started to move again and that's when she noticed he was in a suit. He slipped out of his suit jacket and pushed through the bars. The fabric crumpled to the floor of her cell.

"Please take it. I'll be fine." He assured.

"Thank you." She reached out and grabbed up the jacket. His soft, blue eyes watched her as she pulled the jacket over her shoulders. She felt better almost instantly. It wasn't a blanket but it was working. He nodded and smiled. "I'm Belle."

"August."

"That's a peculiar name."

"I'm a peculiar man." August grinned.

"Is that why they took you?"

"I'm a magician. I come from a long line of them. I suppose they took me for my value to some people. I could be worth a lot of money. What about you?"

"I don't know. I'm no one important. My father is wealthy but it doesn't seem as though they are interested in any treasure my father could provide."

August nodded at the information before looking back up to her. "They aren't very agreeable captors, then are they?"

Belle smiled lightly. "No, they're not."

"Well, then…I'm agreeable. I can keep you company, if you like?" At her approving nod, he decided to entertain them both with conversation. "So where are you from?"

"London."

"That's where all the pirates are."

"Not all of them."

"Of course not. The Queen at least. We have a pirate lord at my home land."

"Where's home?"

"Sweden."

"You speak English? I've never met a Sweden that spoke English."

"I spent time on a pirate ship. They many languages. So, I speak many things." He said smugly.

"Isn't magic outlawed there? In Sweden?" Belle questioned with a frown.

"Well, isn't that what's going to make my stories interesting then? Who knows how long we'll be here." August smirked.

"I suppose that's fair." Belle chuckled.

"Have you ever seen any magic?"

"Once…when I was a little girl. I can't recall what it was though. I remember being amazed."

August grabbed the bars again and moved closer. "It's dreary in here, how about I amaze you?"

"You can try."

"Think of a memory. Any memory."

"Alright…" Belle said raising an eyebrow at him. She closed her and thought of the first memory that came to mind. A small smile came over her face and she opened her eyes again, looking expectantly over to August.

"I'm going to tell you what that memory was."

"I doubt that."

"You'll buy me a drink when we get out of here if I'm right."

"And if you happen to be wrong?"

"Then I'll buy you a drink, of course. Maybe a meal as well."

"Alright then. Please do tell me what I thought of."

"The first time your father read you a story about mermaids." Belle's eyes widened slightly and he continued. "You sat in his lap as he rested in his rocking chair in front of the fire place. He'd draw you little pictures and tell you, you were as beautiful as all the mermaids in the sea."

"How did you-" She frowned in thought.

"Magic." August grinned.

"You can't be a magician."

"I very much am. I just do much simpler magic for the crowds."

"Could you get us out of here?" Belle asked curiously and a bit hopefully.

"Maybe but it would take a while. I don't even know where we are."

"There's that." Belle sighed.

"Although…I do recall seeing a flag when they took me. It was briefly, maybe it was a different ship altogether…"

Belle moved closer to the bars. "What did you see?"

"A Navy flag. British Navy."

* * *

After a lunch of silence and shared smiles between Regina and Emma, it was high tide and time to get back out on the sea to go find this half human. It shouldn't have been hard to find her especially when Regina was very aware of the fountain's location and very few others did. The ship Belle was on surely was a bit lost.

That didn't mean she shouldn't be prepared. The location wasn't easy to get to. Many creatures possibly guarded the path there and then she had to hope ship wasn't destroy by now trying to go through them.

Surviving would require a few visits on the way and items she was currently laying in a silver chest on the table of her study.

That's where Emma found her. She stood in the doorway quietly, watching the woman place a book inside. Then a rolled piece of parchment. A compass.

"Just because you do not speak does not mean I don't know you are there, princess." Regina said with her back to Emma. The blonde blushed lightly and moved forward into the room. Regina listened to the sound of her footsteps and waited until they stopped to look up to the woman on her right.

What she saw was a surprise. Emma, her princess, was certainly a pirate now. All this time she'd been calling her the princess among pirates but she'd been spending so much time with them, she became one without Regina actually noticing.

She was wearing Regina's boots with a smug look on her face. A green blouse tucked into her pants and a brown coat that fell to her knees. Regina's eyes dropped to her waist and she felt around her own waist, realizing she didn't have her sword. Or her hat.

'I'm coming with you.' Emma mouthed to her with a firm look on her face.

"I have no doubt on that. I won't argue with you. But..."

With a sigh, Regina walked up to Emma and removed the hat from her head and place it on her own. "Some things, Miss Swan..." Emma watched her remove the sword from her scabbard. "I will not share with you." Regina pushed the blade into her belt and smirked at her as Emma frowned.

"But there is something I do owe you." Regina said.

She walked by Emma and came up to a table with a drawer that stretched across it. She pulled it out and removed a large black, wooden casing. Emma looked curiously at her and waited, almost skeptically as Regina approached her again. Her eyes dropped down to the item in her hands and Regina opened the case to reveal an iron blade with a golden handle and a red leather grip.

Emma gently took it from the case and looked up to Regina. The older woman sat the case down and nodded to her. She held it in her hand, getting a feel for it. "It's a Russian Shasqua..." Emma smiled at her as she inspected the blade. "It was my father's."

The blonde's face fell into a frown. Regina shook her head at the protest she knew was going to come. "He told me to give to someone who mattered. I nearly gave it to Daniel but...I'm glad I didn't." Regina smiled over to her and folded her arms. "My father would've loved you. I'm sure he does."

'Thank you.' Emma pushed the weapon into her belt and then pulled Regina into a hug. The brunette accepted it and tentatively kissed her on the ear before pulling away.

"I think we should go now. We have a long few weeks…months ahead of us."

Emma nodded and gestured for the silver chest. Regina brushed her fingers against it as she closed it and allowed Emma to pick it up.

They walked through the house in companionable silence. Their shoulders brushed as they had the moment she told Emma about what Gold had told her. Normally she wouldn't do that but new things were settling in her chest and her stomach since that first kiss.

"Well, Captain…you look good as new." Ruby said appearing before them just as they made it to the foyer.

Regina frowned and inspected her attire. Emma as a pirate, dressed like one even though she was a princess to Regina? Sure, the pirate could see that one. But Ruby Lucas? That was difficult to wrap her head around after all this time knowing her. Ruby had expressed her dislike for pirating and sailing but here she was anyway.

"And you look…prepared." Regina frowned, letting her eyes linger on the deep red corset under her long coat. Emma noticed her stare and narrowed her eyes slightly at the other woman. She cleared her throat loudly.

It startled Regina and she was half expecting Emma to finally say something to her. Although she was skeptical about this being the right time. From the looks of Ruby's face, she was caught off guard as well but she understood what the issue was when she glanced between the two women.

"Eyes up here, Your Majesty." Ruby smirked, almost enjoying how possessive the blonde was becoming over her pirate. Ever since that kiss they'd been attached at the hip and for more than just protecting Regina from the devil's threats.

To her surprise, Regina looked back over to her and then back to Emma and she turned a little pink in the cheeks. This less cursed Regina was more fun. Especially, to tease.

Letting herself be flustered for only a moment, Regina exhaled heavily and cut her eyes at the other brunette. "What are you doing?"

"This was partly my investigation. I think I have a right to come with you to see it through." She replied confidently but it was laced with a bit of concern. Despite their minimal banter and occasional roll in the sheets, Ruby wasn't exactly meant to be her equal in station.

"Right?" Regina laughed. "You should have no rights. But I suppose your personality has kept me sane for some years now. I suppose you have room to make demands of me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I won't disappoint."

Regina nodded and Ruby grabbed her own set of things to bring. The three of them departed the estate leaving it in the hands of Bailey and Charlotte, along with the guards, for however long it took to reach their destination and then return. It could've been a year or even longer for all they knew but that didn't much matter. There was some talk amongst them as they ventured towards the docks, the Hangman bold and daunting just off the land.

"Is this ideal weather to be departing in?" Ruby asked worriedly as her hair whipped around her face.

"Are you questioning my navigational abilities, Miss Lucas?" Regina asked. She gave the woman a glance and changed her mind. "…Or is that worry I hear in your voice?"

"Neither." She sneered. "The wind is near violent."

"You have forgotten what beast I am captain of…" Regina smirked, eyeing the ship as they walked onto the long pier leading to the vessel. She walked ahead of them, aiming to be at the helm again.

"Captain." A voice muttered as they passed the pillars. She stopped at his voice but didn't look at the man. Ruby turned to get a glimpse of the hooded figure and he lifted his head to her and winked. Graham. Kind of obvious really. He reached out to Regina and she took something from his hand.

Ruby and Emma had questions but Regina was already walking off by then. One of the guards they stood in front of Regina's quarters stepped from the crowd and dropped a black bag into Graham's hands. He stalked away behind Regina and Emma followed quickly after them.

Ruby watched her go and turned to Graham who was tucking the pouch into his cloak. She glanced around before leaning in and stealing a kiss from him. He looked surprised and then quickly recovered.

"Write to me. Demonreach. Regina's motherland. I know we'll come across them. Promise?" She looked expectantly at him and he gave a small smile and nodded.

"I promise, my love."

They shared a quick kiss before she left up the gangplank to board the ship. She stepped onto the boat hesitantly, still skeptical of the whole sailing the seas bit. Her body did better on land with a sword, not the ocean with a cannon.

"You look a little green around the gills, Miss Lucas." Regina called down to her. Ruby looked up to the woman unconsciously, majestically standing at the helm with a hand clasped over one of the knobs and she was grinning very smugly at her. "I'm afraid I don't have a saddle for you. Get your sea legs quickly."

"You're not nearly as amusing as you think you are." Ruby muttered, moving up to the bridge alongside Thea and James.

Regina smirked and looked back to the deck. "Fly the Jolly Roger, boys! We have a long journey ahead."


	14. Chapter 14

"Brooding already, Jones?" Regina smirked as she approached him with a flask in her hand. He leaned forward against the edge of the ship, looking down into the water before frowning at her words. She held the flask out to him and he snatched it from her.

"And you're not only because your lover is aboard." He snapped back and took a swig. Regina sighed and nodded her agreement.

"Fair enough. You miss him already?"

"Of course, I do. I don't know why he had to stay behind. He was healed." Killian frowned in confusion. "Did he not know that I would protect him?"

"I believe that would be my fault." Regina confessed quietly. "I spoke to him when he was injured. I told him if the only reason he's on this ship because of me then he should not return. You know he isn't a pirate. He's man who was told stories of adventure as a little boy…just like you."

Killian narrowed his eyes at her. "Me?"

"I wasn't going to make that mistake again, Jones. You were a boy who was told stories and I let you become this when you came to me." She turned away from his curious eyes and looked out to the water. "Once upon a time, I enjoyed this life of a pirate but it's not all that glorious after a hundred years especially with this curse."

"Talk all you want but that doesn't change the fact that you took him from me!" He shouted. A moment of guilt did seem to pass over her face. "Nothing you can say will change that, Captain!"

"I'm saving his life, Killian Jones." Regina said in an eerily calm voice. "I'm saving him. You may never return. You don't know these seas as I do. If you would have like to watch him die then by all means you could have brought him along."

She reached out and he pulled away but that didn't stop her advances. There was just enough of his short hair to fall over his forehead and she brushed it away in a gesture that left him confused. Regina Mills was not one for intimate, gentle touches so it was reasonable to be a bit cautious.

"I don't know love. I don't remember what it feels like so I cannot advise you. Of course, you know that but this is the best I can give you." She said, pulling away. "Believe me, Jones, Emma would be back on port. She is only here because I need her physically…to keep the torment at bay. Then we would both be lonely souls again."

"How long will we be gone?" Killian asked. His voice had calmed. The anger had faded. Despite her hostile character, it was hard to be upset with her for very long. Neal's safety was also his priority. He knew he'd regret it the moment, they left port if Neal had decided to join them.

"I don't know, Killian. A long while maybe. Maybe not."

* * *

_Regina broke the surface of the water with a gasp that echoed the walls of the cave. She smoothed her hair back from her face as she walked up the rock, dripping in water. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, catching her breath while her eyes lingered on the fountain in front of her._

_It had taken a while to find this. A lot of sacrifices. Giving up the spoils of her journeys but the situation was dire. She had damn near given up her ship for passage here._

_She had tried everything. Anything she could think of. Anything her associates could think of. Nothing worked. She knew with how her curse worked. Love would break it but no one could love her. No one could love the monster she became when her mother agreed to the Devil's terms. So, there was no sense in hoping for any love to come her way. No acceptance unless among pirates. No one to save her from the darkness that was her life._

_Regina was desperate now. Amid had suggested this to her. He wasn't sure but she'd take it._

_She looked back to the water, the mermaid that led her inside just watching her. She hadn't spoken a word sense they met and Regina was sure she was only helping out of pity. Mermaids knew of her as she knew of them. They pitied no one and gave no sympathy to just anyone but they must have found something in the way they shared cursed immortality._

_"I believe we had an agreement." She said and mermaid nodded._

_Regina watched her swim to the edge of the water and reach her hand out to touch the rock Regina stood on. Strange markings glowed green under her feet. The color intensified around her until it rose from the rock into a green steam._

_She stepped back away from the activity, cautious of what it might mean. Though, her attempts to keep the distance were pointless. The green vapor shot forward at her, forcefully invading her nose and mouth. It felt sharp down her throat and made her body glow mint under her skin. Then it vanished._

_Regina looked back to the mermaid who bowed her head and moved back into the deeper water. She turned to the fountain, once empty, and now filled with the sacred with the liquid of youth._

_Amid's theory had been that I would take her back to an age when she wasn't cursed. Physically she'd only have to be a year younger. She'd take being a year younger over her current predicament._

_A golden chalice rested on the rim of the fountain. She picked it up and scooped up a fair amount of water. She brought the chalice to her lips and drunk it dry._

_She felt no different. Nothing changed._

_Maybe that wasn't enough?_

_Regina looked down for more water only to find the fountain now empty once again. She frowned, growing frustrated that it hadn't done anything. The chalice disappeared from her hand and the rock's glow died._

_"It didn't work." Regina said to herself, leaning against the fountain heavily._

_The only sound left in the cave was that of the water rippling around the mermaid waiting to give Regina passage out of the cave. Regina repeated her words again to herself. There was no way out._

_A sharp pain vibrated in her skull and she clutched the back of her head, dropping to her knees in agony. Her screams bounced off the rocks around them, coming back sharper and higher causing the mermaid to flinch in pain. She disappeared under the water, still watching Regina but refusing to be exposed to the cave's shrill echoes._

_Her eyes bled. Her nose bled. Her ears bled. Then she collapsed. Everything went black and her body was numb._

_When she woke again it wasn't in the cave. She was chained to the ground in what looked to be a court yard. The building around her was abandoned and she knew that she wasn't in her world anymore._

_Regina moved against her chains finding them stronger than she expected. She couldn't move from her position on her knees across from a withering tree. Apples hung from it still but they were rotten. One dripped with tar into the soil. She struggled against the chains again, straining the muscles in her arms in hopes of breaking free._

_The bolt in the ground did not budge and she tried again. A strangled noise traveled up her throat as she tried again. She tried again and again, arms becoming sore and weak. Her wrists started to bleed under the shackles. Her struggle echoed around her for what seemed like an hour. And hour of trying and trying to no avail. No one appeared to see what she was doing or tried to assist her._

_Pulling the chains from the ground didn't work. Breaking her hands would do nothing as the irons were too tight. Her ankles weren't chained so she tried to stand to add some strength and it did nothing except cause an unbearable pain in her left knee as it buckled under the pressure._

_Eventually she did give up, spent and in agony. When her bare shoulders finally slumped is when footsteps were finally heard._

_She looked around, managing to turn only partially as her right shoulder was now out of place. No one was in her immediate line of sight so she sighed in frustration, giving a weak tug at the chains once again._

_"If you were brave you wouldn't have me chained here." She taunted up into the sky._

_She let out a pained cry, bitten down on after a second from something white hot and eating into the skin of her leg._

_"You're in no position to be provoking me, dearie." That voice. "You are already in hot water, My Queen."_

_"Show yourself." Regina demanded lowly. Footsteps came from her right and she watched the Devil himself come to stand in front of her with a disturbed smile on his face._

_"It's been so long since I've had the pleasure of breaking you…again."_

_"What do you want Gold?"_

_"I thought I had taught you a lesson…" He nodded and Regina looked behind her sharply, spotting the masked minion always present when things were going to become painful. She moved her wrists again and Gold looked satisfied by the sudden distress._

_The man behind her picked a particularly inconvenient place to shove the branding iron he held. An unapproved scream left her throat as the hot iron connected with the tender spot on her ass. What she wouldn't give for pants in that moment but she was completely stripped of her clothes except for a mere cloth to cover her crotch. Everything else was exposed for punishment._

_"You need to learn that you have to follow the rules. There are no shortcuts for your curse. You have to fine pure, true love." He smirked, leaning close to her face. "So how many lashings would you say you deserve?"_

_Instead of a response, she glared at him. She was in the mood to provoke even though it would lead to a lot of pain. What did she really have to lose?_

_She spit in his face instead of answering and the smirk was gone. He slapped her hard across the face and took a few steps back, rubbing his hand as he'd never actually done any of this torturing himself. Hopefully he'd hurt himself from the blood that filled her mouth. She spit that out too and it traveled far enough to land at his feet messily._

_"Well, I suppose that means until you start begging then." He sneered. Regina opened her mouth to give a bite back but was silenced when the minion struck her in the back. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek and panted out a few breaths to keep her control. Before the curse, she had an abnormal tolerance for pain but she'd have to find it buried under all her former numbness._

_"I've tried to be a bit less violent with my methods of teaching you but you don't seem to listen very well. Although all human bodies crack under immense amounts of pain."_

_Regina stared at him in silence, strangely finding the focus on the sound of the whip breaking her skin easy to restrain her sensitivity to the abuse. It worked through a few hits and then one lashing sliced the skin of her spine, forcing her face to crumble but she refused to say anything._

_"I hope you don't mind that I stole away your numbness to pain. I want you to really enjoy this little gift I have for you."_

_Still she didn't say anything in return. The silence continued though her brow was furrowed in extreme discomfort. Her body jumped at every connection of her flesh and the crop._

_Though, she did not verbally break, her body did beg in a way that Gold comprehended. He by no means thought she'd had enough but this part of his lesson he been absorbed fully. But he did want the verbal confirmation just not soon. He granted a bit of her supernatural tolerance back so she could endure the other things he had planned._

_She managed to keep her defiant silence through a second session of branding dished out on her waist. All he received, as he personally closed his own hand around her throat for several minutes, throwing harsh taunts of her hopeless situation, was a few strangled gasps for air and it left him displeased. So then Gold finally found something to make her squirm and almost plead._

_A dagger forged of gold and dark magic. He held it up in her face letting the blade get close to her skin. At only a hair away from her face the dagger glowed red and burned without a single touch. Regina felt an hour of that take the fight out of her. And as he proceeded to cut into her arms and legs with small incisions, moans and flinches followed._

_"Are you going to beg yet?" Gold asked._

_"I'll die first." Regina spat._

_This angered him enough for him to pull her to her feet roughly and tossed her to the ground in front of six brown barrels. Before she could find the strength to get up herself, a hand was pulling her hair and making her get to her feet. Her eyes glanced into the barrels, finding only water. Gold appeared next to her and whispered in her ear._

_"I hope you like water as much as you think you do, Your Majesty. We'll be here for a while." He hissed._

_Without warning, another hand gripped the back of her neck and her head was submerged into the barrel. She struggled and flailed against her tormentors with little success. She was immersed in the water over and over a minute being added each time until she stopped struggling, stiffening as if dead. He gestured for his minion to pull her head out. Regina coughed up water, eyes red rimmed and gasping for air. He shoved her to the ground and Gold leaned over her._

_"Say it." He demanded watching as her body laid still, her eyes the only thing capable of still moving without pain. She glanced at him, catching her breath._

_After long pause she opened her mouth and hoarsely spoke her surrender._

_"Please."_

* * *

Ruby laid down on the bridge, looking up at the sky. She found it much more soothing than standing up considering Regina cared not for smooth sailing. Right now, the small bouts of nausea she could settle for after the shit storm that was the night before.

Regina and Killian had a good laugh while she lost her stomach on the side of the ship. Luckily, she found a friend in Emma who aided her all while giving Regina a look that ceased the woman's laughter and sent her back to the helm to sail the ship.

The sky was light blue today. The sun was beginning to beat down on them. She was going to start complaining eventually.

She turned on her side and looked over to Regina who was glancing around herself suspiciously before pulling something out of her coat. It was a map from the way she rolled it out on the wooden crate. She and Killian spoke in whispers and pointed around the parchment.

It had to be about the location of the fountain and the trials it took to get there. Probably also had something to do with not wanting the whole crew to know about where they were going.

Regina left Killian with the map and went back to her former position at the helm, looking out to the vast – vomit inducing – ocean ahead of them.

"Christ…" Ruby muttered dropping her head to the ground.

Emma glanced at her in amusement for a short moment, not letting herself get too side tracked from her work. Her eyes snapped back over to Regina who was sailing the ship in what she thought was a peaceful existence. Just her and her ship.

It was a captivating sight. One that she wanted to have forever and not just whenever Regina sailed out.

She eyed the way the sunlight hit her in all the right spots. Her paintbrush fell into the mixture of yellow and white she had. Then red for her touch up her coat. Black and gray and white for the black sail fluttering in the breeze.

Regina looked back at her, biting down a smile from the way that Emma had her tongue peeking from between her lips as she focused all her energy of whatever was on her canvas. Even after the many times when she had roamed away from the bridge and Emma came after her, pushing her back into the same spot almost three times, she still didn't have a clue as to what Emma was painting.

Emma knew that too and found it endearing that the woman still did not fully understand that she was quickly starting to become the world to her. At every opportunity, she would paint this woman until the end of her life.

Regina watched Smee and Killian leave the bridge with other things to attend to. Jones handed back the map and nodded to her in his departure. Ruby was fast asleep in the sunlight, leaving herself and Emma to each other's company. She tested the waters a little and moved over to the side, looking down at the ship as it ripped through the water. Emma did not grab for her to put her back in her place so she decided to see what had to be so diligently painted it right now.

She slowly approached Emma, watching her hand create smooth strokes over the canvas.

"What has you so entranced, Princess?" Regina questioned, coming to stand behind her. She was surprised when she finally saw what it was. She leaned forward over Emma's shoulder to inspect it. "Me…?"

Emma turned her head and smiled at her. She then nodded, closely looking for Regina's thoughts on the painting. Regina looked at every stroke of paint. Reds and blues and subtle greens.

"That's…" Regina paused and Emma's eyebrows lifted expectantly. "It's beautiful."

'Thank you.' Emma mouthed to her before raising her brush to Regina's face. The pirate recoiled at the action but too late to dodge the paintbrush. A cold, thick line of black paint was brushed across her face.

Regina looked at her in confusion and then found herself indulging in the playfulness. She stuck her finger in the yellow and left a dot on Emma's nose.

Emma smiled at her and strangely enough – but not really anymore – Regina slowly gave a smile of her own.

* * *

"How does it feel then?" Thea asked she rested blissfully in her older sister's lap. Emma was playing with a strand of her hair. Emma frowned at the question, obviously not understanding.

"Being the Queen's princess?" She chuckled and Emma rolled her eyes. Her face, however, told her that she was thinking about it, looking to actually answer the question. "Is she kind to you?"

Emma nodded, wondering why she was asking. She tapped Thea's shoulder and the younger woman looked up at her. 'Why?'

"Because she's a pirate…" She replied only to receive a raised eyebrow from her sister. "I know…I know we are too but she's been a pirate for more than a century. We've heard her stories. She can be ruthless."

'Why?' Emma repeated, the space between her eyebrows growing more creased as these odd questions continued.

"I just want to know that what you're doing to her works. I'm okay with you being with her but I want to be sure that she won't hurt you."

'She won't.' Emma assured.

"Are you sure?" Thea asked and got up on her knees and turned to her. Emma leaned forward from the pillows and nodded. "Okay…"

Emma gave her another look, suspicious of the sudden questioning of her strange, and mildly romantic, relationship with the captain of their ship. Thea sighed dramatically and shook her head. Emma reached out and took her chin, forcing the younger blonde to look at her.

"It's just that…I feel like I should be looking out for you." Emma raised an eyebrow again. "Not because you don't talk or anything…well maybe a little…" Thea admitted sheepishly. "I know you're the oldest and you can take care of yourself but you disappeared and I thought it was my fault."

'No.' Emma shook her head, adamantly. She felt guilt for what happened. Disappearing. But Regina and Thea had insisted that it wasn't her fault. It wasn't even her choice. She was kidnapped from a marketplace.

"If you hadn't have had to chase me into town…if I hadn't have run then you would have been safe at home."

'Forget that now.'

"How?"

'Remember.'

Thea frowned. "Remember what?"

Emma kept her hand in place under her chin and closed her other fist. Thea watched her hand, remembering the familiar gesture they used to share as kids. She pressed the fist to her chest and smiled as her hand fell away from her chin.

Thea returned the gesture. "I love you, too."

Emma leaned forward to kiss her forehead just as the door of the quarters opened. Regina stepped in tossing her tricorn onto her desk.

Thea got up from the bed and turned to Emma. "I'll see you in the morning." Emma nodded in return and she started to leave, catching Regina's eye. "'Night, Captain."

"Goodnight, Thea." Regina acknowledged, watching the blonde leave out the door. She turned to Emma who patted the spot beside her on the bed. Regina shed her coat and boots before sitting down at the edge. "We'll be approaching an island in a few days' time. Not particularly treacherous but none too nice either. I'd like it if you didn't accompany me."

She glanced over her shoulder and Emma was already giving her a disapproving look. That would be an answer of complete disagreement.

"I just thought I'd say it anyway. You quite like to ignore everything I say." She smirked and Emma crawled over to the edge, settling behind her and wrapping her arms around Regina and resting her chin on her shoulder. "There's a long voyage ahead of us, Emma. Swear to me you are prepared for it."

'I am.' Emma nodded.

* * *

The ship creaked and he sighed, wiping a hand over his face.

He had taken the responsibility of voyaging to the forbidden corners of the world for the king. If only to be in the man's favor. Although the least he could've done was give him a decent ship.

It seemed like nearly three times a day the crew had to be ordered to repair something. Leaks, breaks…somehow the helm was stuck. An unimaginable award better had come from this.

He stood up from his desk and headed for the door shoving the map to their destination inside his coat. The ship was bathed in darkness, save for the flickers of flames from the moving torches of the crew members.

"Captain…" A voice called but, purposely, he continued to walk towards the galley knowing he had to keep the presence of his prisoner as much as a secret as he could even if a few of the crew knew. "Captain Legume."

"What is it?" Gaston hissed, spinning on his heel to address the voice.

"Rider at the helm wanted me to inform you that we'll be coming to the threshold in two days' time." The young man said.

"Threshold?" Gaston frowned. "What threshold?"

"He said there were guardians at a gate of some sort." He tried to explain but it didn't make much sense to him either. "He'd prefer it if you came to him yourself."

"Tell to mean in my quarters." He said snatching the torch from his hand and walking away to the galley.

With only a look the cook knew to get him food for the prisoner and it was in his hands within a minute and he departed the galley, disappearing to the depths of the ship. In the far back, a damp, cold corridor that led to the six cells banished there.

He came up on the first cell and slid the tray through the opening. Belle glanced at him for a moment, feeling his eyes on her. "Eat up. You'll need your strength."

"What do you want? I'm of no value to you." Belle said in return.

"What the king wants, the king gets." Gaston smirked.

"If you were taking me to the king, we would've been there a long time ago." She countered.

"I'm taking you to what the king wants. You're the way to get it."

"That makes no sense."

"Doesn't have to." Gaston said with finality and left shortly after.


	15. Chapter 15

“Land ho!”

Regina woke from her slumber and sat up at the sound of the ships rumbling horns. The sheets slipped from her body as she took a glance to the window just behind her desk.

It was late morning. The sea smelled different here. It had been a month of numbing sailing since they left the port which only meant they could only be in one place.

The bed shifted beside her and Emma sat up with her usual charming, sleepy face. She stretched out her back and then leaned over to rest her chin on Regina’s shoulder as she did every morning. 

Over the past month, nothing worthy of note happened. They sailed a voyage very few ever wanted to travel so no passing ships. All there had been was Jones moping around, Ruby getting sick at least twice a day, and the sisterly bonding between Emma and Thea beginning to show itself. Emma was quite protective.

But also in that month, Regina and Emma had grown closer, comfortable. At the start, she would willingly go to bed with Emma but she was never there when the blonde woke up. And only after three days had Emma become fed up with it and forced her to stay. Now it was natural for them.

Yet, much to Regina’s surprise they hadn’t shared anymore kisses. Eventually, she would work up the pluck to seek out a kiss. She told herself that every day and then sighed to herself every time because she was the fiercest thing to sail the seas and she could not even come up with enough valor to kiss the woman that was breaking her curse, the woman she had _feelings_ for.  Confusing feelings but feelings nonetheless. 

Emma brought her out of her thoughts with a hand grazing her back, coming around to land on her waist. She brushed her nose against Regina’s cheek before pulling back to examine the woman’s expression. Over that month, Emma had become stronger in her sword play and more intimate with her when they were alone. Though, Regina felt that was the area _she_ should’ve been trying to improve.

Regina looked to her and let her lips quirk up in a small smile. The movements to create that smile were becoming easier for her.

“Looks like we’ve found trouble, Princess.” She smirked and the woman shoved her playfully, stepping out of bed to get a better stretch. Regina didn’t turn her eyes away when the long shirt, hanging loosely off the blonde, rode up enough for a view of tone legs and a peek of her-

Emma cleared her throat, catching Regina staring. The pirate always turned pink in the ears and cheeks when she caught her. She got caught staring every morning. Nothing felt better than the lack of uncontrollable hunger every time Emma touched her or she caught glimpses of the blonde. She was aroused by it sometimes but only because it was her choice.

“I suppose you would like to accompany me.” Regina said, watching the blonde pull on her pants and change out of the shirt. Emma gave her a single nod with her back facing her as she tucked her shirt into her pants. She got into her boots and long, black frock coat before taking one of Regina’s tricorns.

“Sometimes I think you forget who the real captain of this ship is, Princess.” Regina said watching the woman retrieve the sword she’d given her.

Emma smirked at her before she left the room.

* * *

 

“I forget which one of you is supposed to be Queen of Pirates.” Ruby said, sounding more relaxed now that they were on land. Regina rolled her eyes as she watched James and Killian trail behind Emma with a heavy chest between them. Smee was sheepishly following as he gave wary glances to every person around.

She and Ruby had just stepped onto the dock when Thea had sprinted up behind them.

“She’s adjusted well to the life.” Regina commented.

“More than that, Captain. She could be planning mutiny.”

“Mutiny? I’m sure she hasn’t forgotten who is the immortal between us.”

“Partially immortal.” Ruby corrected only to receive a frown. “How are you feeling? I know you’ve been testing the boundaries. To see how far you can be away from her. A ship’s length is nothing compared to a town.”

“I’m aware.”

“Just be careful. You have to protect each other.”

“I need no one’s protection.” Regina snapped. Ruby rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Hopefully that next kiss works on that attitude of yours, Captain.”

Regina stopped and frowned at the woman’s back as she continued walking. Is that what sharing a kiss with Emma did? Break her curse piece by piece? Maybe she needed to work on that courage sooner rather than eventually.

In the middle of her thoughts, a faint discomfort tingled all over her body. Her brow creased but she refused to react to the sensation’s suddenness. She walked a few steps, Emma having long disappeared with Killian and James, and then unexpectedly, she was dizzy as the discomfort soon became crippling pain. Still determined to not react, Regina stayed silent but her body slumped to the side as if suddenly limp.

She fell to her left, a brick bait shop keeping her from the ground. With deep breaths, Regina tried to fight off her pain. “Coward.” She muttered. Using the wall for support as she moved forward with slow steps, her focus stayed on finding Emma in the shadowed streets of the eerily quiet town.

She reached the edge of the building, losing her footing instantly. A set of arms caught her in the fall. The pain abruptly washed away as she looked at Emma. The blonde looked worried and smug. Maybe a bit upset as well. Regina pulled out of her grasp and stood up straight in attempt to pull herself together.

In that month of sailing, Regina had picked up on what looks meant what and it also seemed that sometimes she even heard a thing or two from Emma even when the blonde said nothing. She tried to ignore that though. Emma’s brow crinkled.

‘I’m sorry, I left.’ She mouthed.

“No, Princess, that’s not your fault.” Regina assured brushing her palm against her cheek. “You’re breaking my curse. I could never blame you for that.”

‘Stay with me.’

“Lead the way, Miss Swan.” Regina said gesturing towards the shadowed road ahead of them.

Regina stayed behind Emma and regrouped with the part of her crew she trusted most. She and Emma led the group with Smee nervously behind them. Killian, Ruby, and James held the back, watching for anything suspicious.

Once they made it near their destination, Regina stopped Emma from going any further with an arm against her chest. Emma gave her a look and Ruby started to say something until Regina sharply pressed her finger to her lips to discourage any talking. She pulled a gold coin from inside her coat and tossed it forward.

They all watched it sail through the air. Emma and Ruby found the action pointless until the coin was clipped by something too quick to see clearly, and it dropped to the ground in two pieces. Ruby muttered a curse and Emma looked to Regina in confusion. There wasn’t time to explain all the many abilities she was given along with her curse. But it was also fairly easy for her to see the very thin string stretched out feet away from the door of the building.

Two men stepped out with curved cutlasses in their hands and dirty smiles. Anger flared up in Regina, noticing the way they looked at Emma. Not many blondes on the island. She stepped in front of her and pulled her sword from her hip.

“You two must have gotten the short stick.” Regina smirked. “There’s always a pair of you guarding this place. Only sometimes do I not kill you. Get out of my way.”

“Tell her to take her clothes off first.” One of them snickered, leering at Emma so intensely it made James and Killian uncomfortable…and pissed.

Regina took a menacing step forward, ready to take his head off with a single swipe from her blade.

The doors to the building behind the men flew open and another man, shadowed by the guards, came barreling out with his hands up. “Please, Your Majesty. No need for unnecessary deaths.”

“I’ll decide when it’s unnecessary. Right about now I think my sword should be in his throat.” Emma grabbed her arm with a look that said enough. Regina deflated a little.

The man sighed in relief and tossed a few glares at the two guards. “Go be useless somewhere else. These are my friends.”

“I don’t know you.”  James frowned with a hand on his cutlass, watching the two men walk away into the surrounding shadows.

“Well, Regina is a friend. And though my grandfather and my father found guards expendable, I very much value my men… _friend_.”

“And I value mine.”

“Fiercely.” He motioned to the door and gave an unsettled smiled. “Please come in. There’s masala, Captain.”

* * *

 

Dark eyes watched as Regina drunk the cup of masala to the end. Regina sat the cup down glancing around at her crew poking around the rooms of the building inciting several threatening stares from the guards standing with closed fists because they had been asked to accommodate the guests. Accommodate just really meant don’t attack them.

“Your eyes are clear, Regina. Not much ale to go around?” He asked.

“Plenty of it.” Regina replied. “I’ve…things have changed.”

“So, I see.”

“I’m here for business, Aladdin.”

“Very well.” He grinned and pushed the cups away. “We’ll play later.”

“I suppose we’ll see about that.” She cleared her throat and turned over her shoulder. “Swan. The chest, if you will.”

Emma came over to where they sat and put down the chest on the table. At Regina’s nod, she opened it, revealing something very shiny. Aladdin leaned forward and after a moment of staring he dipped his hands into the chest, watching the coins fall between his fingers. He glanced up to Regina.

“How much is this?” Aladdin questioned suspiciously.

“2000 Drachma.” Regina said.

“What the hell could possible need from me with that’s worth all this?”

“I need passage…to the Fountain of Youth.”

Aladdin sighed and shook his head. “I thought you took that route already. Didn’t work.”

“It’s not for me. I need to find someone.”

“I’m going to need a bit more than that. My father taught me well in handling you, Your Majesty. Answers first.”

“I’ve been hired to find a woman. Half mermaid. Someone has taken her and is more than likely seeking out the Fountain. I need passage so that my crew and I make the journey… _mainly_ unscathed.”

Aladdin looked to Emma and noticed she wasn’t at all concerned by the woman’s words. There was something with that one. He looked back to Regina with a raised eyebrow. “ _Mainly_?”

“Some will parish. They’re aware of the risk.”

“Very well. 2000 Drachma? What do you need?”

“The amulet. As you very well know, I can’t lead my ship into a bombardment of…” Regina casted her eyes over to Emma and Aladdin noticed. There was something going on there. She cleared her throat with a look of discomfort. “Is this enough or not?”

“It’s plenty, My Queen.” He stated. He motioned towards the archway beside where they sat. “The silver chest is all yours.”

Regina stood, dipping her head as she turned to retrieve the chest. Emma watched her go and looked for any signs of a trap until Aladdin purposely stole her attention.

“You are a curious woman, _Swan_.” Emma narrowed her eyes at him. Emma folded her arms over her chest, shifted to her right side as she observed him. “It’s an interesting story, isn’t it? _Her_.”

He tilted his head curiously when she still had yet to respond to anything he’s said.

Emma just stared at him with suspicious eyes.

Aladdin looked over to Regina closing the chest and picking up. “Captain, where are you housing tonight?”

“My crew will find their own way.” Regina replied.

“Well, what about your _personal_ crew?”

“Are you offering?”

“Always, Regina.”

* * *

 

After another tankard of ale at the pub, Emma found her away back to the private inn Aladdin had offered as housing for the few days they’d be staying. As much as she was starting to enjoy the feeling of sailing, she was glad to be able to stretch her legs on land. Her relief was nothing like Ruby’s, however had it not been for the conversation she was having with Regina, surely she would’ve been kissing the ground.

Her sister and James were in deep conversation at a table in the back and she touched Thea’s shoulder on her way out. The younger blonde caught Emma’s wrist with a frown.

“Are you going to be okay?” Thea questioned.

“I could walk you back.” James offered and her sister nodded along.

She suppressed an eyeroll at the overprotectiveness of her _younger_ sister. With a raised eyebrow, Emma leaned down and kissed her forehead before leaving the pub. Even in the night this place was still overly warm so she had her coat over her shoulder as she walked back to the white, almost palace looking building a few minutes’ walk away.

She made it there without any trouble and was actually looking forward to sleep in a bed that wouldn’t be rocking from the waves under a boat.

The second floor at the end of the hall was where their room was located. It was fit for royalty compared to Regina’s but the estate was still home to her. No bed would ever be more comfortable than that one.

Figuring that Regina was asleep, Emma quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

Her face turned hard, exasperation taking hold of her body. She would never deny her jealousy to anyone. Regina, pirate or not, Queen or not, was hers. Not many people knew much about her but one thing everyone will soon enough find out is that she doesn’t share.

Instead of finding the pirate asleep or even brooding as she always was, the sight before her was of this “friend” of Regina’s and the woman herself in a heated battle…of _sexual_ dominance. Emma’s jaw tightened, watching for only mere few seconds.

A few articles of clothing were abandoned on the floor and between heated kisses, the man was grasping at the waist of Regina’s leather tight pants, pulling them from her legs. Emma glanced down to his pants left on the floor and she put a hand to the pistol on her hip, pulling it from its place as Aladdin was seconds from settling between Regina’s legs.

The pair ceased their movements when the gun clicked in Emma’s hand, finger loosely gripping the trigger. At the unimpressed look on Emma’s face, Regina pulled herself away from him and pressed her back into the headboard as she crossed her legs.

Emma jerked the pistol towards the door and Aladdin scrambled from the bed using his hands to cover up. “Sorry, Your Majesty, the princess has spoken.” He hurried from the room, red face and wide eyes, closing the door behind him.

“Emma…”

She ignored the pirate and dropped her coat in a chair, stripping down to her shirt. Regina sighed as she placed the pistol beside the bed and slipped under the sheet, far away from the brunette.

“Emma?” Regina touched her shoulder, only to be swatted away. She leaned back against the headboard and looked straight ahead. “I’m sorry. I’m not…I won’t do it again. I didn’t believe we were…” Before she could find the words to make her point, a pillow collided with her face. Regina pulled the pillow into her lap and was suddenly pushed sideways, off the bed.

Emma crawled over to her side to make sure the thud she heard hadn’t meant Regina was actually hurt. She wasn’t injured but she looked confused as she looked up to her. Emma’s lips were in a thin line but her eyes were kind of sparkling in amusement.

“Fair enough.” Regina nodded, putting the pillow down and laying her head against it. She watched Emma hover over her shortly to blow out the lights. The brunette smirked, finding the younger woman seemed to like blowing out her candles.

Emma disappeared back onto the bed and shuffled back under the sheets.

In the dark and through the silence, Emma listened for the same words she had been given every night for the past month.

“Goodnight, Princess.”

* * *

 

Regina panted roughly, gripping the blanket that had been draped over her during the night. Her brow was creased and she was sweating heavily.

It seemed the Devil’s threats of pain were nothing if not solid. Maybe physically he couldn’t touch her but her nightmares had a certain kind of pain that felt physical enough. The mere thought of Emma being hurt or even killed brought a lot of anger and a lot of pain to Regina’s mind.

Her dreams were plagued with them.

Somewhere in Aladdin’s abode, glass shattered, violently waking Regina from her sleep. She bolted up from her sleeping position and swiftly had her pistol in her hand, pointed ahead of her. Her chest heaved, breathes coming so forcefully it actually did scrape and burn.

However, no one was there. She relaxed a little dropping the pistol to the floor. She glanced down to the blanket fallen to her waist, knowing Emma must have put it there. Using the bed for support, Regina pushed herself up to her feet and immediately saw that Emma wasn’t there.

Panic only had a moment to set in before a tentative voice called out to her. “Your Majesty?”

Regina turned towards the balcony of the room and saw a servant there with frightened eyes and a wash cloth in her hand. Her eyes shifted down to the bath the woman was standing over. Emma was inside, submerged up to her shoulders, her wet hair hanging in her face, obscuring her vision.

Emma swiped at her blonde hair, showing a raised eyebrow.

“Are you alright?” The servant asked hesitantly.

“Fine. I’m fine.” Regina said turning to leave the room. “Sorry, if I startled you. Good morning, Princess.”

Emma watched her escape out of the room in barely any clothes and started to push herself forward until a hand touched her wet shoulder.

“Please, Miss Swan. We’re almost finished. She’ll be around.” The blonde nodded and sunk down into the bathwater.

* * *

 

The ship rattled around them. Weapon fire lit up the sky, bleeding through the small cracks of the ship.

Belle pulled the worn coat closer around her as she stayed huddled at the back of her cell. August glanced over to her wishing he had more to offer than his coat. He wrapped his hands around the bars, tightening them until his knuckles were white.

“Hey!” He shouted. Belle frowned. “Hey! What the hell is going on?!”

“It’s useless, August.” Belle sighed. “You know that.”

“Where the hell are we going?” August asked the empty air. He shoved away from the bars and huffed as he threw his back to the wall. “We’ve probably already sailed the world ten times over. Where?”

“Remember I told you what he said…”

“Captain Gaston Legume.” August said in a mocking tone. “Whatever the hell the king wants is beyond me. All this sailing. All these strange things happening up there. It sounds like nothing but war outside…why hasn’t a cannon shot through the hull by now?”

“August, there’s nothing we can do.” She said in a resigned tone. “We’ll just have to wait.”

“Waiting could get us killed.”

* * *

 

An agonizing scream echoed off the cold walls. Regina clenched her fists as she walked forward through the door. Her uncontrollable carnal desires were gone but her urges to see blood spilled came and went. Emma was always around to stop it from taking over.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t around now.

Regina rounded the corner and stopped when she finally laid eyes on the source of the screams.

“Well…” She swallowed glancing over to Aladdin, seated in a chair with his hands clasped together.

There was a man hanging from shackles that had him strung up like a pig. He was bloodied and trembling, jaw set with a look of hatred simmering. It was directed at Aladdin more than the other man who was ordered to torture him.

“You’re certainly not as docile as your father...or your grandfather.” Regina finished.

“They didn’t have much reason to be anything else. I, on the other hand, live in a much more complicated world than they did. You would know. Once you were feared and never provoked by the Navy and now they're building ships and operating in secret…you’re hunted. We all are. Even more than usual.”

“Yes, well…what does this man have to do with that?”

“This man?” Aladdin chuckled, pointed his ringed finger to the prisoner. “You should want to watch this, My Queen. This man… _this man_ is The Butcher.”

Uncertainty and discomfort faded from her face. She snatched the dagger from her side and stalked up to the man with blood red eyes. Aladdin raised his hand to his man when he tried to stop her. Regina was furious and there was no way to prevent her from doing something. Not with that look in her eye.

“You…” Regina muttered, using the tip of the blade to lift his chin. “I want you to look at me when I kill you. You will suffer for what you’ve done.”

“I’ve done nothing to earn your wrath, Captain.” He spat.

“The woman. The woman you held prisoner in your quarters…”  She searched his face for a look of realization but when it never came, it was worse than she expected. He didn’t even remember Emma. Just that alone pissed her off. She pressed the blade further into his skin, drawing fresh blood to mingle with the rest. “The blonde. Green eyes…A princess.”

He frowned at her, finding her choice of description odd.

“You fucked her when she didn’t give you permission. You beat her when she didn’t deserve it.”

Aladdin took a step forward, feeling as though maybe it wouldn’t be best to let Regina succumb to this dark hunger. Her breathing picked up and her hand started to shake causing the blood from the man’s neck to flow faster. Her face was growing more furious, the red in her eyes deepening with every passing second.

“You hurt her. She deserved better than…being your slave.”

“Regina.” Aladdin called gently.

“My princess…” Regina muttered.

“I think it’s time you stepped away.” Aladdin said. He was standing next to Regina, facing her with his hand extended towards the dagger. “Revenge is a beautiful thing as a pirate. I’ll get it for you. There’s enough of lifeblood on your hands. You’ve bathed in enough of it.”

“He has to die.” She reasoned absently.

“Sure. You’re right but for once you won’t be the one to bring him death.” Aladdin took the dagger from her hand and she stepped back. “Emma wouldn’t want this. You know that.”

“Fine.” Regina relented. Her eyes were brown once again and Aladdin sighed in relief.

“Continue.” He told his man and then followed Regina to the door.

They stepped out into the light of the day shining through the windows. Regina took a breath as Aladdin emerged, closing the door behind them. Inconveniently, that happened to be the same moment Emma was passing by.

The blonde gave one look to them and quickened her feet to get away from him. Regina watched starting to feel much more drained than was normal for her. She hurried after Emma and left Aladdin behind. She caught up to the woman and grabbed her arm, spinning her around.

“Emma, please.” Regina practically begged. The blonde refused to look at her, casting her eyes to the ceiling. The pirate sighed, running her hand through her hair. “I slept on the floor for you. I’ve done what you asked. Don’t be upset with me.”

The blonde moved to fold her arms but Regina took her wrist, cradling her hand softly in hers. Emma slowly looked down to their hands. Unexpectedly, the pirate brought the hand up to her lips and kissed her knuckles.

“Forgive me.”

Emma still had the mischievous look in her eye. She was clearly not happy about what she’d seen but she wasn’t completely mad. Regina could call her princess all she wanted but this time she still had to earn her affections back. Quite honestly, it wouldn’t take much.

“I’m…I’ve been this for a long time. I’ve shared a bed with many people for a very long time…please Emma.”  Regina compulsively leaned forward and Emma shifted away, refusing the kiss. “Emma.”

The brunette tried again, receiving much the same result. She tried to ignore, Aladdin’s snickers from behind her. Just over Emma’s shoulder stood Ruby and Killian. Both were enjoying her pleading. It wasn’t something she did and they were both in favor of anything that pushed her more towards Emma.

Regina averted her eyes and looked back to Emma who now had a raised eyebrow. The pirate looked to Ruby shortly and the other woman nodded. She tried, fruitlessly, again to kiss Emma’s cheek and shd pulled away.

“Please, Emma.” Regina whispered. “I’ve never…Affairs. Obligation. Emma, I’ve never been with someone the way others have. I don’t know how to do this. If part of being devoted to you means you’re the only one in my bed…ever, well…I won’t seek out fleshly endeavors with others again.”

Emma’s falsely hardened expression softened.

“I can’t recall what it’s like to be human. You’ll have to show me how again. I swear I’ll never do it again. And if I do, I’ll spend my nights on the floor. Or in the rain, the heat…the snow.” Their eyes met finally and Regina leaned in only a little. “You’re breaking my curse. I’ll do anything you ask. Forgive me, Princess.”

Emma did not move an inch when the pirate planted a tentative kiss to her cheek. Regina was relieved at her eventual success. She took both of Emma’s hands and kissed her knuckles, earning a small smile and the sight of her blushing savior.

“I’m sorry for my actions.” Regina said, hoping Emma believed her.

The blonde nodded and then slapped her in the arm. Regina’s face fell into one of confusion, which was a look Emma found to be very endearing, but she quickly gave a small smile of understanding.

She deserved that.

 


	16. Chapter 16

"I hope you're prepared for what's to come." Aladdin said. They stood at the edge of the land, rows of pirates passing by them on their way to the Devil's Hangman. Regina looked after them and sighed. "Once you head North away from this island, there's no turning back."

"I won't be turning back." Regina informed. "This is my task."

"Given by one of your guards?" He smirked with a raised eyebrow.

"Captain of the guard." She corrected. "I suppose, I must return the favor to her. She's been at my side for a while."

"You are the queen. But it is understandable."

The black flag was released, fluttering in the wind majestically. It signaled their approaching departure. Regina had travelled this path before in search of freedom and now she was here to get someone else's freedom. She was no liberator but it certainly felt better than what she was doing under the Devil's thumb. She still was but Emma never went too far and he could never really get a chance to punish her for her disobedience.

"I bid you safe travels, my friend." Aladdin put out his arm and Regina clasped his forearm as he did the same.

Emma swept passed them casting a suspicious glance over to Aladdin before she turned her head back to the ship.

"Your lover isn't very fond of me."

"Make your peace. At this rate, she'll be captain." Regina said, looking back to Emma. They stepped back from each other and Aladdin dipped his head.

"Your Majesty."

"Captain." Regina bowed her head and turned to the Hangman.

She walked down the pier and up the gangplank. Killian and Ruby were already up at the helm, prepared to finally embark on the perilous journey of rescuing Belle French. Although, Ruby looked more sick than excited and Regina was debating the decision to leave the woman somewhere that wasn't a ship.

"Weigh Anchor." Regina commanded, moving up to the helm next to them.

If she had things her way, they'd be sailing in silence. The occasional scuffle could proceed but no talking especially after the events of the previous day. The last thing she wanted was to address her tendency to seek out bedmates and how it was now no longer an option.

Regina planned to forget all about it and continue to serve her time sleeping on the floor until Emma deemed it appropriate to return to sleeping next to her.

Of course, after hours of peace and aversion, Killian couldn't resist very long. She shook her head seeing him appear from below deck with ale in one hand and Ruby behind him.

Killian stepped up beside her and smirked. "What is it, Jones?"

"We haven't gotten to speak about the, uh, _display_ yesterday."

"This was no display."

"Groveling is quite the show. Unmistakable, really." Killian grinned. "Wouldn't you say, Lucas?"

"She could kill us at any given moment. I'd rather not provoke her." Ruby responded, gripping the side of the ship firmly, trying not to heave at the rocking of the vessel. She gagged at a rough wave and received an almost concerned look from Regina.

Killian looked a bit disgusted. "Remind me why you're here, again, love? Obviously not to be a pirate."

Ruby cut her eyes at him and turned back to the water, which certainly wasn't helping. Regina rolled her eyes at them both, strongly holding on to the wheel of the ship as the waves got bigger and tougher. Thunder clapped over them and another wave, strong as another ship crashed into the side of the ship. The boat tipped to the right and Killian stumbled to the side, knocking into Ruby who was about to be really sick.

"What the bloody hell is happening?"

Regina turned to them to answer but was interrupted by rushing footsteps. James, Thea, and Emma made their way to helm with furrowed brows. Naturally, Emma stayed close to the captain, grabbing a fist of her coat subtly. Regina glanced back at her and gave her a reassuring grin.

"Steady now, Princess." She murmured, feeling Emma's other hand take a piece of her coat.

Nothing else was said, even the approaching storm was suddenly drowned out. By the shanty starting faintly, increasing in volume without notice to those who stood on the helm until the eerie song reached their ears.

Everyone accept Regina and Emma moved from their spots. They leaned over the railing looking down to the main deck where most of the crew had migrated back to the edges of the boat. Seven members of the crew sang, undistracted from their duties.

"What are they on about?" Ruby questioned.

"Very few people know the tale of my arrival on this ship." Regina stated, earning curious looks from the five of them. "It's quite simple really, when I was sold to the Devil and he explained my new purpose to me, he sent me to the Hangman in the middle of nowhere."

"And?"

"This ship was not empty when I arrived. Those seven have been here long before me and then know these waters far better."

"So why the shanty? Why now?"

"Because we now enter the domain…of monsters."

"Monsters?" James questioned. "What do you mean monsters?"

"Where do you think you'll find a mermaid, James? Let alone _all_ of them?"

* * *

The fire crackled in the fireplace, bringing a heat to the room that was entirely unnecessary. It was summer and already growing hotter than any other years.

For the King, however, whatever he wanted was necessary. It was law, in fact. Usually.

"I can only assume your other worldly endeavors are going well, yes, Your Majesty?" The Duke questioned.

Graham eyed the overweight man he reluctantly served. When he wasn't sneaking off with Ruby or providing war plans to Regina, he was here. Watching and guarding this paranoid royal as he stuffed his muff with food and wine. One day it'd kill him. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to happen soon enough.

Not before he got what he wanted. Not before his plans to take down the Pirate Queen were put in place.

"Well?" The King scoffed, a dribble of wine coming down his chin. "With the way things have been I shall have that pirate whore and her weapon in my possession."

"Weapon?" The Duke inquired.

The King glanced around the room to the servants and guards standing in their presence. Well, aware there had been a spy amongst them once before, he wouldn't make the mistake of giving unnecessary people viable information. They were all expendable.

"Leave us. All of you."

"But-"

"Graham, is it?" The King questioned and Graham bowed his head. "Irish, are you?"

"Yes, sir." Graham nodded.

The King turned to his guest and they snickered together. "Don't know why he's here. The Irish are soft. Talk of peace to the pirates."

"Wouldn't last a day in battle." The Duke mocked, giving him a look over. "Not even a night."

"I said leave us."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Graham dipped his head and left the room with the other guards and servants but not before giving one last look to the Duke who met his eye with a furrowed brow.

As soon as the doors closed, the Duke turned back to the King, expectantly waiting for this secret information.

"Duke Jefferson of Bedford…" The King said.

"King Charles Curnow." He said in return.

"Loyalty amongst the guards is strong but it's best very few know of this. War will come for us. We must be prepared."

"What war do you speak of, sir?"

"The pirates…and their queen, of course. It is said they have over five hundred ships on the water as we speak. No one's lived to see the pirates band together to go to war."

"They've never had a queen before."

"Exactly. A queen to give them order. A horrid sense of order but order nonetheless. So one can only imagine their army is immense."

"What is the worry? They may have the quantity but we have quality, Your Majesty. Pirates are scavengers…thieves, sir. However, many ship they have can easily be destroyed. We have allies in other countries."

"Pirates mingle, Jefferson. You haven't seen them like I have. They're backwards…from all over our world. Not for the faint of heart. No they're not." King Curnow said, shaking his finger and taking a drink from the goblet. "Their queen ugly as sin and her people deformed…sent by the Devil himself they were."

"Is that so, Your Majesty?"

"Would you follow a queen you wouldn't want to fuck?" Jefferson tilted the corner of his lips as the King laughed deeply. The soon turned into a coughing fit too short for Jefferson to say anything about. "Pirates follow a savage woman. A native. Spaniards fault, of course. Breeding."

Jefferson swallowed the last of his wine. "Well then we have nothing to fear, sir."

"I need assurance that those pirates will be obliterated."

"What weapon?" Jefferson asked, tiring of the secondary path their conversation had taken.

"Their queen I'll take. Off be those pirates. Gone."

"What is this weapon you speak of?"

"The Kraken."

"The myth, Your Majesty?"

"Isn't a myth, Jefferson. Only the pirate queen knows where it hides. She will give me its location."

"And this voyage you sanctioned? That was to go in search of her?"

"No, that was a different endeavor. Still for the good of the people no less. I am growing old and the people need there king. So, I'm insuring that I will be here on their behalf for the unforeseeable future."

* * *

"Graham." Jefferson called with a smug smirk on his face as he exited the dining hall. The guard turned his eyes in his direction, keeping his post as the Duke walked up to him. He came to stand very close to his face, testing the patience of the guard. "You'll come with me."

Graham glanced to the dining hall door and watched King Curnow exit the room and looked at them. "Sir, I think it will be best if you let us escort you. For your safety, of course."

"Thank you." Jefferson nodded, curtly turning to walk down the corridor.

"With me Locksley." Graham whispered to the guard keeping watch next to him. The man said nothing, only nodding his head and following behind Graham and the Duke.

They walked until Jefferson was briskly walking through the entrance of the palace were his coach was awaiting. He turned to Graham and Robin who stopped just behind him.

"Well?" Graham asked.

"He's planning for a war."

"Obviously. Something useful."

"He has plans to use the water from the fountain of youth on himself. To live forever."

"Regina will make sure that never happens." Graham dismissed. "What else?"

"King Charles Curnow is a fat, useless fuck who believes the bloody Kraken is real." Jefferson said raising his eyebrows. "I can't believe you have me doing this. Duke. He's disgusting."

"Most royals are."

"He's mad. He actually believes I've never seen a pirate before…that the Queen of the Damned is ugly as sin." Graham grunted. The King has never laid eyes on that woman. Even a blind man wouldn't believe that. "A savage? Does he not think that she can't kill us all if she wanted? Queen of the Damned?"

"But he doesn't suspect you. That's what matters." Robin inserted. "Not you. Not us. Maybe Regina won't kill you."

"What-" Jefferson hissed.

"Safe travels, Duke." Graham said, watching as Jefferson got into the coach. The man looked but at him and shook his head. They watched the horses trot off and Graham turned to Robin. He held up a piece of rolled parchment to him. "Bring this to the Voodoo Man. In the night. You will not be seen."

"Of course." Robin agreed taking the parchment.

"You will give this to him and tell him what you've heard. He'll get this to Regina before her return here. They'll be waiting at her estate."

"How?"

"Between him and that trickster _Peter Pan_ , he's got the fastest ship. It'll be deliver to her motherland. The route back from the sea of monsters goes back past her homeland and she will always make a stop there to visit her father's grave." Robin nodded his understanding. "You heard the man, Locksley. War is coming."

* * *

Regina quiet closed the doors to her quarters, watching as Emma took her fingers through a braid to undo it. She looked away and shed her coat. She tossed it onto her desk, ignoring that Emma wasn't a fan of her leaving everything everywhere. She undid the buttons of her vest, tiredly.

Her mortality wasn't creeping up on her as subtly as it thought it was. It wasn't much of a difference. If someone stabbed her in the chest, she'd be just fine, if not livid about the impalement. Although, she was noticeably growing tired and hungry like any other member of her crew. She could sleep through the night with Emma now, dead as a rock.

She shed the vest and the boots, glancing over at Emma sitting on the bed. The blonde didn't look at her, barely acknowledging that a pillow was being pulled off the bed. She hadn't yet addressed Regina assuming she wasn't welcomed on the bed anymore. It had been six nights since the night she shoved Regina off the bed back in Aladdin's palace and every night she watched Regina take a pillow and sleep beside the bed. It wasn't that she was going to let her sleep there forever…just at least until the lesson had been absorbed.

Regina reached for the pillow and Emma took her wrist and tugged her forward onto the bed. The brunette hesitantly climbed on the bed next to her, putting the pillow back in place. She settled down in her spot and turned her head to look at the younger woman. She was grinning at her with blonde hair falling over her shoulders.

"Have I told you I was sorry?" Regina asked quietly. Emma nodded, reaching out to tuck dark hair behind her ear. And then to Regina's surprise, she leaned over and pressed her lips to her cheek. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

Again, Emma didn't really answer. She leaned forward again, seeming more confident than Regina would even expect herself to be. The brunette leaned away a little before tentative meeting Emma in the middle, sharing a small, chaste kiss. Emma smiled as she pulled away, seeing Regina lean in for another kiss and pressed a finger to the pirate's lips.

"Right." Regina nodded with a sigh. Emma gave her a tight smile, shifting so that she could lay down under the blankets. The older woman stopped her with a gentle hand. "It's not that I don't want to. I just can't. I have to deserve you and I don't."

Emma raised an eyebrow at her.

"I can't be a good person today or tomorrow. Maybe not even a year from now. I have kill people to save this woman. I have…the…have the urge to. That part of me isn't gone. You're just here and I don't want you to see that. Can you…understand that? I have to be better."

She nodded, not quite agreeing that Regina wasn't good enough but decided not to argue with her. Emma pulled her arm, forcing her to lay down next to her. She draped the woman's arm over her waist. Regina laid her cheek on the back of Emma's neck, knowing the meaning of the action well.

Shut up and go to sleep.

* * *

"Wake up."

Regina jolted awake. Her eyes were wide, darting around to take in her surroundings.

This wasn't her ship. This wasn't her room. Emma was not beside her. Instead of finding herself in her bed, she was in a tavern. It was deserted. Shelves void of ale. All the tables were missing except the one in front of her.

She attempted to get up only be kept down by an invisible force.

"Don't even try." The voice spoke again. A tankard of ale was sat in front of her and she looked up to herself. "When you're here I'm in charge."

"Where am I?" Regina frowned.

"Your dreams."

"I thought you were on my side. Wanting to me be me again. You are me."

"No. I'm better than you. You're Regina. I'm the Queen. And of course, some parts of you still belong to the Devil so here I am."

"What do you want?"

"Does she know you're only hugging her so tight because you want to avoid unimaginable pain?" The Queen asked. "Do you really care about her?"

"Of course, I do. Don't you dare question that." Regina snapped, wishing to be free of her restraints.

"Don't?" Regina flinched at the mocking laugh that was thrown at her. The Queen gripped her shoulder, nails digging painfully into her flesh. "So, holding her at night and kissing her has nothing to do with the Devil's threats?"

"I do care about her."

"That's not the question."

"Her presence helps but it's the only-"

"You've put her in danger. The monster and demons you've face will kill her. So if she mattered to you, then you wouldn't have brought your Princess on this ship."

"No-"

"She's going to die on this journey all because you can't take a little pain."

"That's not true. I lo…" Regina struggled, shaking her head at the fact that what she wanted to say wouldn't leave her lips. "I…"

"You what? Love her?" The Queen laughed again, so amused by her difficulty. "You can't love. You're selfish as you should be. You and I…we're pirates. There's no room for selflessness."

"She's…she's my princess." She argued weakly. None of this was to be believed. Emma was important. She mattered. More than mattered.

"Her usefulness as your princess will soon run out." The double leaned down close to her ear and whispered words Regina tried hard not to hear. "She's a toy. Fuck her and move on."

Regina bit her lip, feeling something wet drink down her face. Her chest ached with an unknown pain. A knot tightening in her stomach. A hand roughly collided with her face, leaving a red mark. Then the Queen pushed the tankard forward with an agitated expression.

"You and I are not the same. Shedding tears for a mortal." She shook her head and sighed. "Drink up. I'm sure there's some punishment for you in these night terrors somewhere."

* * *

The ship was finally rocking a bit better today. It at least meant Ruby wouldn't be green in the middle of playing cards.

Emma planned on a sparring session with Regina. She heard the whispers of crew mentioning tales they'd heard about the domain of monsters. Her swordplay would have to be perfection if she was going to be fighting anyone…or anything.

She woke up from the best sleep she'd had since kicking Regina out of bed. She sat up and stretched out her back, jumping in confusion. Her shirt was soaked, stuck to her back. Worse it was cold.

She turned to the other side of the bed finding the source. The bed was soaked, Regina's pillow…Regina. The pirate was drenched in sweat, brow furrowed in her sleep. Her body was tense moments from trembling or convulsing completely.

Emma was shocked by the sight before her. She pressed her palm to Regina's forehead, swiping the damp hair from her face. Surely a nightmare, a severe one, was causing this and Emma wouldn't let her suffer it any longer. She shook Regina's shoulder, leaving her hand on the woman's cheeks, and the brunette startled awake.

Regina slowly sat up on her hand and breathing harshly. Emma gently touched her cheek with a concerned look.

"I'm fine. Really." The blonde raised an eyebrow. "I promise I'll tell you later."

* * *

"Well, Captain…" Ruby watched the brunette come up to the helm. She looked even more disheveled then she ever remembered her looking. "You look terrible."

"Thank you, Lucas." Regina sighed, dropping down against the side of the ship.

"And no insults…Something is wrong. What is it?"

"Problems?" Killian inserted. "I solve problems."

"The Queen is, um, not shipshape."

"Ah, there you go, love." He tossed her the rum he had planned on draining while he was up here. Regina caught it and uncorked it to take a long drink. "Bit early for drinking but that doesn't much matter to me. Do tell what's wrong with you, Captain."

"I kissed Emma…" Regina said, absently.

"She's always kissing your face. What does that bloody matter?"

"Do you think I'm selfish for letting her on this ship again?"

"I don't think she would've let you go if you didn't." Ruby answered. "Where is this coming from, Captain Mills?"

"It was a dream. I was in a room with myself and she told me I was being selfish…that I didn't care about Emma. I only need her to stop the pain the Devil has threatened me with."

"Interesting, wouldn't you agree, Lucas?" Killian asked.

Ruby ignored him and walked over to Regina. It was obvious to her that whatever happened in her dreams upset the woman. She sat down next to her and placed a hand on her thigh.

"You wanted her to stay on the mainland."

"I let her come." Regina argued.

"Because Emma has a hard head. You can't convince her once her mind is set. You're a pirate. Of course, you're selfish but everyone on this ship knows how much she means to you."

"Are you certain of that, Lucas?" She asked with a sigh.

"She is your princess, isn't she?" Ruby smirked and Killian looked amused and smug, too. "A princess who would be smart enough to figure out if she was just a prize by now."

"I've thought too much into this then?"

"You have, Captain." Killian nodded and turned to see Emma searching through the crew with a confused frown on her face.

He tapped Ruby's shoulder and motioned for them to leave Regina to the rum. The brunette agreed silently, patting the pirate's leg again before leaving with him so when Emma found her they could have a talk.

Shortly after they left and Regina had a few swigs, Emma venture up to the helm in search of her panic-stricken pirate.

Regina looked up to her as she approached, not even complaining when Emma took the rum away from her. The blonde either hadn't yet understood that pirates drank often or she was purposely just making sure Regina wasn't drinking rum and wine at every waking moment.

Emma sat down next to her and placed the rum beside her. She looked at her expectantly and she sighed.

"I'm fine, Emma. Just a nightmare. That's all." Regina said, only to receive a raised eyebrow. Forgetting all about having a nightmare bad enough to make you sweat through clothes and sheets wasn't as forgettable as she hoped. "It was bad dream about losing you because I was selfish…letting you come here."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"I know you would've come regardless of my wishes, Princess." Regina chuckled. "But part of this crew will die before we even reach the fountain. Neal stayed behind because Jones cared enough to leave him. Makes me wonder if that means I don't care enough about you because you're here."

'It's my choice.' Emma mouthed.

"But-" Emma stopped her, pushing her finger to Regina's lips.

'Stop doubting me.'

"I'm not doubting you. I'm doubting myself. Do I deserve you?" Regina asked. "Do I deserve to have you break curse?"

The blonde's brow furrowed for a moment and then, to Regina's surprise, she just shrugged.

"You don't know?" Emma shook her head. "Then-"

Regina paused, feeling Emma's head drop to her shoulder. She looked over to her and watched the blonde take a drink of the rum. Emma scrunched up her nose and pushed the bottle into Regina's lap.

The pirate wasn't sure what that meant but it was assuring that nothing she said to the blonde was scaring her away. Emma was determined to stay. To be a pirate…to break her curse.

"I suppose you just don't care then." Regina concluded as Emma took her tricorn away and placed it on her own head.

In the silence, James came up to do his rounds. He spotted them and averted his eyes with a smirk. "Yo ho, yo ho the pirate's life for me…"

Regina looked up to him curiously, nearly missing Emma locking their fingers together.

"Yes, don't you agree, Princess?"

The blonde glanced to her cutlass and smirked mischievously.


	17. Chapter 17

"Finally come to join us, I see."

Killian smirked as Thea and James appeared above deck now that morning was nearly gone.

The sounds of metal clashing and swiping filled the air. Though, it was barely audible with the crew's loud cheers and exclamations. Thea looked passed Jones to try and see what was going on but there were rows of rough men with bottles of rum while they yelled out bets.

"What the hell is going on?" Thea questioned suspiciously.

"Have a look for yourself." He replied and turned to the crowd.

He shoved and shouted for them to make way, James and Thea following behind him towards the sound of another fight.

"Another thief?" James wondered, and Thea figured that was a possibility but after the show Regina made of the last guy, she didn't have high hopes of that.

They pushed through the crowd and stumbled to the front, met with the intensified sounds of a fight. Thea was the perfect example of what shocked look like as her eyes came across the scene of her older sister in a heated battle of skill with the captain.

"Not a thief." James glanced at her, then back to the two women.

"Oi, Captain!" Killian shouted over the noise. Regina's eyes cut to him after a sharp dodge from Emma's sword. "My money's on the blonde!"

The crew's scrambled sounds turned into laughter that only brought a smirk to her face. The distraction didn't prove to be helpful to Emma as even with the examination of her crew, Regina still managed to counter her swing without looking. They kept their distance, weapons pointing at each other. Regina winked at her and took a playfully lunge that Emma jumped away from.

"Well, Princess, what shall it be?" The pirate asked. "You have aficionados. The odds may be in your favor."

The blonde dipped her head and took a step forward. Regina lowered her sword and Emma took a strike at her, unsuccessfully. She lost her footing for a few seconds before regained her balance, not giving a pause before taking another swing that Regina blocked and they got tangled up.

Emma ignored the chants of her name as she struggled against Regina's inhuman strength. Although, she gave the older woman a wink of her own when the pirate's sword fell to the deck. Unexpectedly, the blonde leaned forward, biting into Regina's shoulder. The brunette gasped in surprise at the action. It wasn't a threatening bite, more of a subtle love bite but it was still a shock to her.

Regina glanced at the crew still watching the fight, and the moment she found they had no idea what Emma had done, she placed her lips against her neck in a gentle kiss.

"It'll only sting a little." She whispered to Emma and the younger woman's brow creased in confusion. Before Emma could react to her words, she was flipped over the woman's shoulder, onto her back.

A grunt slipped from her lips as her body made a thud against the floor. Regina picked up her sword just when Emma sprung up, unfazed by the impact. Their swords collided once more.

It was possible Emma pushed her sparring partner a little harder than she intended.

She was more surprised than anyone else when the pirate fell over the edge of the ship. Emma dropped her sword and rushed over to the side with worried eyes as she looked into the water. Thea and James rushed to her side to see for themselves.

"That was the last thing I thought was going to happen." Emma turned her eyes to James with a concerned and frustrated frown. Thea punched him in the arm for her. "Well, it was."

"Get back to work!" Killian yelled across the ship as he approached where the three of them were standing. "She's fine. Still a bit immortal."

Just then the woman broke the surface of the water, and any possible seizure of Emma's heart disappeared. The woman waved to her and was given a disapproving look in return. Regina looked around before her eyes turned back up to Emma who was now alone as the rest of them tried to get her out of the water.

"It's not too bad if you want to join me." Regina teased with a smile Emma couldn't recall seeing before. She seemed happier as time passed. The blonde sighed and smiled down at her, shaking her head. "Just a bit brackish is all, Princess. Your hair will be all right."

Emma continued to smile down at her, resting her chin on her closed fist.

"That's a no then?" She asked. Emma shook her head in the negative. "Shame-"

Regina was cut off by a loud rumble that vibrated the water. Both their smiles faded. Emma's was exchanged for even more concern than before, and Regina's face took on a look of seriousness.

"Emma, move away from the edge!" She shouted. The younger woman moved away slightly. "Go!"

A big rush of water forced her into the side of the boat causing a brutal impact. She turned to the creature that had swam its way up from the depths of the sea. Only once in her lifetime had she seen the creature and it hadn't been this close and at this much of a disadvantage. Although this would be another test to see just how immortal she really was.

"It's a Cetus!"

The ship broke into a panic and Regina grabbed on to the side of the ship. There wasn't much grip on the sides, but she would have to make do with what she could find. She started her climb halfway up the ship as Killian signaled the for the cannons to be prepared. He sounded a little panicked which she was not surprised by. They'd never encountered something of this magnitude before.

"Captain!" He shouted over the side.

Regina slipped against the wet surface, and the Cetus growled loudly. She looked back at the creature with a furrowed brow. The monster dived back down into the water. It was raining, and sea dragons were rare to come by, so it would have been majestic had it not been for the fact that it was trying to kill them. Regina reached up to get another solid hold on the boat, but the Cetus' tail purposely scraped against the side of the ship, wrecking everything in its path.

Regina was knocked off the side of it, into the air. She reached up to get a hold of anything from the ship in her grasp, but she was going fast enough to have the vessel and her crew go by in a blur before she hit the water again.

The Cetus obviously had some plan. Just as she crashed into the water the sea dragon, came up again…right under her. Regina fought for a grip on the creature, quickly having her vest get caught between its teeth. She freed her dagger from her waist and stabbed it into the first soft spot that caught her eye. It let out a pain cry, thrashing around violently.

The sound of the cannons from the Hangman came as a relief. She took a few stabs at any flesh in her reach. Mouth pains were unbearable even for this creature. The Cetus whipped its head, unsticking her from the teeth. The back of her vest ripped as she exited its mouth and flew over the ship.

Emma watched the pirate soaring overhead. Her emotions were shot at this point, so she felt concerned for the woman, but she couldn't find the energy to make a face. Instead, she looked to the Cetus roaring and screeching as the cannon fire pelted it without pause. When it disappeared back into the water, a sinking feeling came over her.

"Is it gone?" James questioned, face covered with black smears.

He moved over to the edge of the ship to look overboard. James didn't see anything, but Emma squinted enough to see something in the darkness of the sea's fathomlessness. The water rippled. The vibrations came again, stronger than before. James looked at her with a wary expression.

"Brace for impact!"

The massive creature came rushing up, and it took half the vessel with it. The boat tipped until it was crashing into the water, taking the crew with it. Killian held on to a notch, dangling in the air and he caught Emma as she fell before she could hit the water. Though there was no avoiding getting wet. The ship would be submerged.

Killian held her forearm in his hand, and she clenched part of his sleeve with her other hand. "Just hold on tight, love." He instructed. Emma nodded, tightly closing her eyes as the water slammed into her and consumed them.

* * *

"Your Majesty?"

The King looked up from the man struggling against the guards. He nodded and smirked they roughly jerked the prisoner back up. Water splashed at him, and an unamused look appeared on his face.

Graham cut his eyes at Robin and the other guard. He was a new one, and more than likely wouldn't make it through the season if he continued to be sloppy. The King was very short tempered so even that mistake might have just led to him disappearing tonight.

Graham walked over to them and reached between them, grabbing a handful of the man's hair. He tugged his head backward, inciting a sharp hiss from the prisoner.

"Colter, is it?" King Curnow asked disinterestedly.

Daniel didn't respond, only sneering at the man in front of him.

Graham snatched his dagger from his waist and pressed it to Daniel's throat. "Respect your King. Answer him."

"Yes, Sire. Daniel Colter."

"Traitor to your country, consorting with the enemy…" The King sighed. "You escaped Navy escort to meet with your old friend."

"I did not escape." Daniel argued. Graham hit him in the back of the head. "Your Majesty, I was captured by Captain Mills' men and taken aboard. She tortured me, and then I escaped. I came back to fulfill my duty to my country."

"How am I to believe that you're not a spy for her?"

"I've cut my ties. I am not her ally, My King."

"You don't have to be her ally." King Curnow sneered. "You only have to be bedded by her, and you are deceived and compromised."

"Please-"

"Continue his punishment until sunset. If he's not loyal now, he soon will be." He looked down into Daniel's eyes only seeing defiance. "She used you for her narrow ways. We will liberate you, my son. Then you will truly serve."

* * *

_He didn't know why it was such an exciting, arousing thing to have a woman just watch. It just was. To know someone was interested. Someone found it thrilling to feel it all from a distance._

_Charles turned his head as he thrusted into the woman below him. Usually, pleasured moans took his interest, but the woman lying beside them, just as naked as the rest of them stole his attention. Of the women he could have, that wanted to be taken to bed, only she was enough to satisfy him._

_Something about her smugness as she watched him with other women and the way she took control when he was granted the reward of fucking her. And then there were the times where she was insistent upon having a few of the women for herself._

_She was a pirate._

_She was the Queen._

_"Why do you like watching so much?" He questioned, giving a hard thrust to contrast the previous gentle movement of his hips. The ginger woman, a handmaiden, Cornelia, closed her fists around the sheets, forcing her moans into the pillows._

_"It's entertaining. It's how I find out what I like." Regina replied. She reached out and moved Cornelia's hand to her exposed breast. The hand mechanically started to knead the flesh gently but a bit firmly. "Go on, girl. As hard as you like."_

_"Anna…Emily, enough fooling around." Charles commanded. "The Queen has needs as well."_

_The women blushed when they looked at her but complied with his request. Anna was a bit young and wasn't sure of herself. Regina questioned them about their willingness to be present during these activities, and she'd meekly admitted her longing to be there. Emily was a bit more experienced and didn't need any more instruction._

_"Someone's eager." Regina chuckled after accepting a kiss, and Emily spread her legs and dipped her tongue into her heat. After a deep breath, she looked to Anna and gestured her over. The young blonde took the space separating Regina from Charles and Cornelia. Regina glided her hand over her stomach before she moved her fingers under her chin. "Are you scared of me?"_

_"No, ma'am." Anna shook her head adamantly._

_Regina turned her eyes to Charles and smirked._

_"Kiss me." She said, and Anna looked hesitant. "Go on."_

_"Where did you see this?" Charles asked, looking to the display beside him with interest. He gently helped Cornelia turn over, allowing slow kisses as he settled between her legs._

_"I don't always spend my time just watching you, darling." Regina murmured._

_"How long before you'll become my Queen?" He questioned._

_"Never. I'm no one's Queen except the Devil's."_

_"You and I could conquer the world together." He leaned over Anna and interrupted them, taking Regina's mouth in a rough kiss. "Destroy our enemies in one incurable lunge."_

_"You think the Kraken is at my beck and call, dear?" Regina laughed, running a finger down Anna's shoulder who shivered from the contact. "Your Highness, I don't have that much power. He only comes out when he smells a war coming."_

_"The Kraken?"_

_"It's a joke, Charles." Regina sighed with an amused smile._

_"Yes, of course." He said distractedly. The mention of the creature never left his mind. "I'll have you as my Queen someday, pirate."_

_"We'll see about that now, won't we? The King and Queen wouldn't approve of that at all. Whoever suggested I stay forever anyway?"_

_"With how long we've shared our time and this bed…and various women, one could assume you were a bit attached. I'm sure you'll be mine."_

_"So young…" Regina whispered, taking his face in her hand and holding tight. "And so naïve, aren't we?"_

* * *

Fortunately for the crew of the Hangman, by work of the Devil, it would not sink. It could be damaged but never sunk.

After nearly several long minutes under the water, the ship started to glow gold with magic.

It turned over quickly, but not fast enough for some of the pirates until it was upright again. They rose out of the water with the air feeling like lost treasure in their chests.

Emma fell to the deck next to Smee and James. She stood up on shaky legs clothes drenched and heavy. Everyone was painted to the floor boards, tired and weighty. When she looked ahead the Cetus seemed to be staring right at her in anger. It screeched so loudly it pierced her ears painfully. She flinched but refused to cower away from the creature's threatening action.

She grabbed the sword from James' scabbard and took a few steps forward, still trying to catch her breath. In a final decision take on the wounded beast, Emma whistled at it. The sea monster charged the ship.

"What the hell are you doing?" James shouted in outrage. "You're going to kill us!"

The blonde glanced at him. She turned her away from knowing that he had a point. The Cetus was also going to kill them if she didn't do anything so it wouldn't really hurt to try. She turned back to the monster and gripped the sword with both hands. As it let out another rumbling roar, Emma took a deep breath.

Emma raised the sword above her head and heaved the blade at the charging sea dragon. It hit its target with frightening accuracy. The crew was on the feet in time to watch the Cetus thrash and screech until it succumbed to the devastating penetration. The creature fell forward into the water, still able to float as it sent hefty waves to rock the ship.

"You killed it?" James questioned in disbelief.

Emma turned around at the sound of his voice but was surprised to see that what was left of the crew on the vessel was looking her at in awe as they started to clap. Awe was putting it lightly. Most of them had that look in their eye like they were staring at a god.

"You did good, love." Killian said, approaching her with a grateful look on his face. Ruby stumbled up from below deck looking deathly pale, probably traumatized seeing as she had a rough night and was finally getting some rest before this happened. The man gave her a concerned glance and then looked back to the crew. "We'll drink in your name tonight, Swan. For now, we need to regain our crew from the waters. And salvage our captain."

* * *

Retrieving their crew proved to be a tiring endeavor. Unfortunately, not everyone knew who all was on the ship. The Hangman had its share of stowaways but most of the time they were discovered thieving from the kitchens.

It was going to take hours of getting men back on board. Sending a dinghy to recover men who been stranded a little farther than expected happened frequently already. Some of them swam back on their own.

Emma cared about the well-being of the crew but the two most important people to her had not returned. Regina had been thrown like a child's toy and Thea went under when the ship turned up but neither of them were among the ones she watched climb back aboard.

She watched Killian converse with Smee before she had to occupy herself with something else. Ruby sensed her unease almost immediately.

"Emma, you can check out some of the men. Maybe make sure they have no serious injuries." The woman directed.

She pointed to a familiar man leaning against the side of the ship. Emma grinned at him and walked over with few supplies Ruby gave her for patching people up. He was one of the silent guards that kept watch at the entrance to the captain's quarters. There was a gash down the side of his face that she grimaced at. The man smiled at her in amusement as she cleaned it up.

Then she got preoccupied. He markings that held many meanings and so he broke his silence to tell her about them when he noticed how worried she was that the captain had not returned.

"These are for each successful pirate raid. Captain liked them." He chuckled. "Said she'd do it herself though. Something about running out of skin."

Emma shook her head as she sat next to him. That sounded like her pirate. Always said with a little bit of sarcasm and a lot of cheek. She couldn't get into thinking about Regina as the crew started to get excited about something. Emma turned to Simon and he nodded, gesturing for her to go.

Killian was dropping the dinghy back into the water again when she pushed through the men. No one was in it this time and after a moment of silence and whispers, he and someone else started to pull it back up. Emma waited with bated breath, hoping that Regina and Thea were there.

"It's the captain." Someone called and everyone began to cheer, drowning Emma in a throng of tall men. She sighed in relief but still worried for her sister. Every moment she wasn't watching over the Queen of the Pirate, she was worrying over her little sister she hadn't seen in years. The protectiveness she once had when they were children had returned immediately after seeing Thea again. So now she was feeling as if she had failed.

The noise died as the dinghy thudded against the ship. Only one set of boots touched the deck. Emma nervously pushed her way back through them again and her heart sunk to her stomach like a rock.

Regina slowly got to her knees and laid Thea's still body down. The pirate pushed herself back to the side of the boat, watching Emma moved over to her sister, lifting her head from the deck and holding her to her chest. James dropped down next to her pain creasing his forehead.

Regina turned her eyes away and down to when her hand had fallen on her stomach. It was surprising to feel so much pain though the injury had been the worst she'd had since the first time Emma kissed her and broke part of her curse. The part of the Cetus' tooth was trapped in her flesh. Blood leaked from between her fingers in large amounts.

Emma tried over and over to wake the younger woman to no avail and on top of the pain her injury was already causing her, Regina couldn't bear the agony Emma was experiencing. Thea was still alive but her life force

was fading. Since her curse began she hadn't given anything back to anyone, only taken.

It never crossed her mind to do so before. But Emma was beginning to mean the world to her and Emma's world was Thea. She couldn't let her die.

Against her body's wishes, Regina moved over beside Emma and the blonde looked up at her through wet, red eyes.

"I'm sorry, Princess." Regina whispered to her. The blonde frowned at the sight of her eyes now turned bright blue. A breath, tangible and cobalt as well, left Regina's lips like smoke and drifted down into Thea's nose.

A moment barely passed and Thea inhaled deeply, eyes opening just enough for Emma to see she was alive. The younger woman reached up and touched Emma cheek with a smile.

"Can't get rid of me that easy, Emma." She said in a soft voice. Emma let out a quiet laugh and smiled down at her.

The entire was so occupied with the scene that Regina managed to slip back into her quarters without notice. Well, maybe enough of them noticed her but the look she gave suggested they should keep that to themselves.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, firmly taking a hold of the tooth. Her eyes fell to the wound and drops of blood fell onto her hand. Regina brought her free hand up to her mouth and pulled back to her fingers stained with blood.

"Of course." She scoffed to herself and turned her attention back to her shaking hand.

Regina pulled the tooth, immediately choking when a spike of pain traveled through her body. She was shocked by the excruciating pain that accompanied the attempt. That was certainly a new discovery.

The thought of mortality only made her agitated.

She walked slowly on unsteady legs to her desk and into her chair and fell into it. The woman, like a pirate would, seized the frosted bottle of rum from the surface, still panting from the pain shooting through her body. Regina took a long drink from it and then bravely poured a regrettable amount of it on the wound, biting her bottom lip to resist making any sounds.

She grunted lightly, face screwing up in discomfort. "Come on. Not yet. My curse isn't broken. I am immortal…not yet." She took a cloth and bit down on it. Without giving a warning to herself, she pulled with all her strength and surely it did come out and clattered to the floor as she slumped forward with darkness taking her vision; unconscious.

* * *

When Regina finally came to again, she recognized that the stiffness of her chair had disappeared and was exchanged for something softer but firm. She opened her eyes and saw Thea. A groan left her throat and the blonde grinned at her.

"Emma, she's awake." Thea said. Regina turned her eyes to look for the woman but didn't see her. "Welcome back, Captain. Next time you should let us know you're doing something stupid."

"You'll walk the plank for that." Regina threatened but her voice didn't carry entire tone to be taken seriously.

"No, I won't." Thea grinned.

"Nice to see you're in good health then, Miss Swan."

"Thank you for saving my life, Captain Mills." The younger woman said with a smirk. She tightened the bandage on her leg causing Regina hiss in pain. Thea looked over Regina and gave an apologetic expression. "Sorry. I'm going."

"Emma?" Regina questioned, raising her hand. Warm fingers tangled with hers and she turned her head to look up at Emma. Her head with resting against Emma's stomach. She was wrapped in several blankets.

"You were shivering violently." Thea explained as she closed the door behind her.

Emma pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then hit her on the arm. Regina jumped and sat up as quickly as she could with the open wound still presence. She turned to Emma with a frown. "What was that for?"

'You scared me.' Emma mouthed looking a little angry.

"I'm immortal, Emma."

'For now.'

"We haven't broken the curse. I'm fine."

Emma shook her head with a furrowed brow. 'I can't lose you.'

"You won't." Emma gave her a sad smile and pointed to her stomach. Regina looked down and pulled up her shirt. There was a bandage wrapped around her waist, over the injury, but it was starting to bleed through. "It's nothing. You've seen worse."

The blonde gave her look. She wasn't convinced. Finding Regina unconscious in her chair with blood everywhere had sent her into a panic. She was terrified that the woman had been dead, especially after she'd followed a trail of blood to her cabin.

"I understand you may be worried but everything will be fine." Regina assured, moving closer to her. She took Emma's hand and kissed her knuckles. "Just try not to break the curse before we sail into peril, Princess."

Emma rolled her eyes and leaned forward. Regina was hesitant every time a kiss was initiated. She was still unsure of all of this and her insecurities started to show a little more every day. Emma only gave her assurances when met with them.

Their lips touched softly once and then again. Emma touched their foreheads together, brushing her thumbs over Regina's cheeks. The older woman glanced to her mouth and sighed.

'You cannot leave me.'


	18. Chapter 18

"So how bad is it?" Ruby asked, hoping that he would have a better answer than what her eyes were telling her.

Killian looked around the ship with a sigh. Half the crew was injured. The ship was actually damaged. If another Cetus wanted to take a crack at them they'd be done for.

"Well, could be worse, love." He admitted. "We'll survive so long as we don't meet another sea beast again. Supplies are damaged but usable. Unfortunately, that means we may need to resupply soon."

"How's Regina?"

They both looked to Emma who really couldn't help but blush that they expected she knew everything going on with the woman. And she did know most things considering the pirate rambled on adorably sometimes. She gave them a so-so gesture which was probably the best news so far.

"Do those old men know what we're going into? If there are any more monsters on this trip we could be in trouble." Ruby said.

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's time to bring the question of whether that ship with Belle aboard even made it this far to the captain." Killian said, walking towards the captain's quarters. "No point in risking supplies and men if there is nothing to go after any longer."

"You know she'll still go forward even if there is a question. Regina is still very much irrational and she forever will be long after her curse is broken. She won't stray."

"We'll see about that."

"We've come this far, Jones." Ruby argued.

"Are you willing to risk your life and the life of your friends for the unknown?" Killian countered with a frown.

"You do it every time you leave port. It's no different now. Regina will agree."

The man turned his eyes to Emma for a moment. "We all share love with someone. Our dear captain, truly cares for one thing, Lucas. Emma."

"Her lover isn't a reason for you to toy with her feelings, Killian Jones!" Ruby shouted after him. The man disappeared into Regina's quarters and she huffed in frustration and stormed away leaving Emma to stand there alone.

The blonde watched her walk away unsure of what had just occurred. An arm dropped over her shoulders suddenly and she turned eyes to see James. He smiled at her.

"I'd ignore the both of them. Jones is just abusing his privileges because he's close to the captain. And Ruby is leader of the personal guard. They both think they have leverage but that may have been true up until you came along, Swan."

Emma tilted her head, puzzled.

"Captain Mills only really cares for your opinion. And considering you're the sole level head on this ship, that would be a good thing. Captain will come to you for answers so worry not M'lady."

Emma raised an eyebrow at him and stepped away from under his arm.

"I was also sent by the other Swan to fetch you for a game of chess. All bets are on you." He informed and Emma sighed.

She glanced back to the captain's quarters and then walked off towards the sounds of part of the crew neglecting their duties.

Betting on a game of chess? She thought they were pirates. Shouldn't they have been attempting to drink the most rum?

* * *

August was in the middle of fitful sleep that Belle watched with worry in her eyes.

He'd managed to survive being sick for god knows how long. Feverish nightmares plagued him. He was too sick to even notice when Belle gave him her ration of food, not that he could really eat anything. Now, August was well enough but sleep didn't come too easy.

The creak of the door, pulled him out of his sleep. He sat up quickly and moved over to the bars separating himself from Belle. It was instinctive after all this time. Even if it seemed there wasn't much he could do if someone tried to harm her, he would still try.

"How are you?" He asked, reaching through the bars as much as he could. Belle tangled her hands in his with a small smile.

"I'm the one who should be asking you. You were fighting in your sleep again."

"I know." August sighed. "I'm sorry to frighten you."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"The time for prisoner romance is over." Gaston interrupted appearing in front of their cells. He gestured to the guards and the two uniformed soldiers began to unlock the doors and undo their shackles. "Now it's time to work."

"Where are we?" August questioned and was completely ignored.

He and Belle exchanged glances as they were taken above. The sun light was blinding but it was a relieving sensation to feel again. They both took in a big breath of air and shared a covert pair of grins. The moment they were led off the ship and Gaston walked ahead of them, August looked back to the ship.

He was right. British Navy.

"Belle, look."

She turned her head to the ship and frowned. Her father was British Navy. She was confused on why they kidnapped her. How they kidnapped her?

"How can that be?" Belle shook her head.

"Did your father do something?" August asked quietly.

"No, my father wouldn't-"

"It has nothing to do with your father." Gaston said turning around to face them. The two guards pulling them along stopped. "Everything to do with you and the King."

"I don't know the King." Belle frowned.

"The King has a plan to rid us all of pirates. We're going to the Fountain and only mermaids can grant passage. So, we acquired our own." Gaston explained.

"Mermaid? What does that have to do with me?"

"Your mother is mermaid, Miss French. Were you not aware?"

"My mother? She wasn't-"

"Father wasn't very truthful with you, was he?" Gaston laughed and the crew joined in. "You shall see soon enough."

The soldiers and sailors continued their walk into the forest, pulling August and Belle behind them. After minutes of silence between them, August turned to her. She seemed to be puzzled and confused. Her face was creased in frustration. It might have been from the way the soldiers tugged roughly on the ropes if they started to drag their feet.

"Are you-"

"How could this be possible? My mother? A mermaid?" Belle questioned. "Doesn't make sense…"

"I've heard tales." August informed as he looked ahead to the men cautiously. "Of mermaids traveling the sea and using their one day in eternity to spend a night with a lover on land. And if a child is born of that night, the mermaid must return the child to its father."

"Are you saying that's what this means?"

"It's the only explanation I can think of. Have you ever seen your mother?"

"No." Belle said dejectedly.

"Maybe you'll get to meet her. Mermaids live very, very long lives."

"Then what happens after they get what they want?"

"I don't know." August said quietly, staring ahead to the men holding them captive.

* * *

After their encounter with the Cetus no other sea monsters surprised the Hangman. Regina was aware of the dangers that plagued their journey as she'd once traveled it before. Which was why before sunrise she was up, rummaging through her possessions in search of something to aid in their quickly approaching obstacle.

A chalice clattered against the floor boards, followed by an amulet, and then a massive silver cross.

Emma turned over on her stomach and laid her arm out so that it would fall onto Regina's back. She immediately woke up when her arm connected with a cold, empty space. The blonde sat up with a furrowed brow, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked around the room for her pirate and found the woman kneeling in front of a big chest that she had always wondered about. Although her curiosity was satisfied since the brunette was tossing its contents on the floor.

The blonde got out of bed, watching a scarf slowly float to the ground. She stepped carefully over the items scattered over the room, now curious to know what the woman was up to. She was nearly behind Regina when the woman tossed a pearl necklace to the floor and it landed right at Emma's feet.

She picked it up and inspected it between her fingers. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry. No doubt it was stolen from someone very wealthy. Emma never usually cared much for jewelry although she now was more attentive to it considering Regina was usually covered in jewelry. Necklaces and rings and if she was lucky Regina would wear earrings when she wasn't trying to be scary and intimidating.

Emma leaned down behind Regina and startled to the woman with a kiss to her cheek. The moment her lips pressed to her warm skin the pirate relaxed with sigh and continued to go through the chest. She only paused her movements when Emma gently slipped the pearls around her neck and she looked over her shoulder to the blonde.

Regina tightened her jaw and let out a strained breath, covertly watching as the younger woman changed out of the night shirt. Her body was exposed to the chill of the room, leaving nothing to Regina's imagination.

She averted her eyes, pretending her cheeks weren't warm and attempting to turn pink.

"Good morning, Princess." Regina finally greeted, lightly running her fingers across the pearls. Emma looked up to her from fastening her belt with a warm smile before she raised an eyebrow. She gestured to the floor. "Preparing for winter."

Emma tilted her head and gave her a look. Last she recalled, it was typically a blazing desert on deck.

"I know that, Emma. The air will start to freeze soon." Regina argued, despite the fact Emma hadn't said a word. The blonde folded her arms over her chest and shrugged her shoulders.

'It's summer.' Emma mouthed.

"Stop saying that. I am well aware." Regina huffed and turned back to the chest, finally spotting what she was looking for. "We're entering a part of the sea that is different…the temperature will plunge and you will freeze."

Emma knelt down behind her and put her hands to her shoulders. She could feel the tension in her bones. She leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to her hair. Regina didn't react to the contact and pulled something thick and heavy from the trunk. It reminded Emma of a giant animal. In a way, it was.

"Here we are." Regina said. "This should protect you."

'From what?'

"The cold, Princess." Regina stood up and Emma followed. The pirate pulled a cloak over her shoulders. The thick fur was soft. It would certainly protect against the cold but Emma was still confused on winter weather she was talking about. "Before you ask, it's a wolf. If Ruby asks, it's a bear."

Emma gave her a skeptical look but Regina ignored it, adjusting the cloak to make sure she would be okay against the impending harsh weather.

Her confusion quickly faded once she followed Regina out of their quarters and outside.

Snow was falling.

The sky was still dark like when they'd retired the night before except now it seemed a winter blizzard had overcome them. The wind blew through their hair in strong gusts and Emma was instantly thankful Regina had gone through all the trouble to find the cloak.

Regina, however, seemed unfazed by the cold.

"The coming hours…days may be a challenge, Princess." She met Emma's eyes with a serious look on her face. "If it seems I am unable to make a trustworthy decision, you are captain until I'm…well."

'What?' Emma questioned with a frown. Regina pressed her palm into her cheek gently, her hand surprisingly still warm.

"Do as I say, Swan. You understand? Protect this ship and the crew. If it is lost, then protect yourself at all cost." Regina said firmly. "You are what's important to me. Damn everything else. That's order as your captain. It's my request as…Regina. Understood?"

Emma nodded hesitantly.

"Good." Satisfied with the answer, Regina captured her lips in a slow, passionate kiss before she pulled away to take up the helm.

Though she understood, Emma was still bit confused and now a little worried.

* * *

They came silently.

Regina had expected them but she didn't know what would happen. Her first journey to the fountain was out of desperation. Only being mortal was something that tempted her. Fortunately, it was not something one could be physically seduced with when hypnotized.

Now that she'd found Emma, her everything, surely, they could find a way to use that against her. Emma could tempt her. If she barely even tried the blonde could certainly seduce her but the problem was that Emma wouldn't and the fact completely abandoned her mind.

Emma napped in the middle of the bed of the captain's quarters. Regina had insisted she rest, seeing the tiredness in her eyes. She had even offered to carry her to the bed which, although very sweet, Emma declined. A decision she quickly regretted once she settled down on the bed.

As Regina had predicted, it was practically winter. It would've been fairly easy to convince the woman to lay in bed with her but she settled for the fur cloak Regina had destroyed the room looking for.

After a few hours of rest, Emma was woken up by an uncomfortable sensation prickling at her skin. She pushed herself up in bed and was startled by the presence of two women standing on either side of the bed. She jerked back in fear, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at them.

They were ghostly looking with a blue glow emitting from them. One of them reached out to her and Emma flinched away, eyes darting over to her sword that was on top of Regina's maps on her desk. She internally muttered a curse.

"Don't worry, darling." The other spoke. Her voice was hollow and haunting. She placed her palm on Emma's face and the blonde couldn't help but look to the door hoping Regina would come in. "We are here to grant your wish."

Emma frowned at them pulling away from the deathly cold hand on her face.

"I think it's best we just show you. Your Queen…" They gesture ahead and Emma turned her eyes.

She tilted her head at the figure in front of her. It was clearly Regina but the woman was busy making sure no one sailed the ship into any ice. Something was wrong but she couldn't get a clear thought into her head. She shook her head suddenly feeling strange.

"Don't resist, Princess. It's just me." Regina smiled at her and Emma gave a small smile back. Her eyes turned completely black, unconscious that her mind was now no longer her control.

Regina just looked so beautiful. She was in a red dress with jewels and the dip in her neckline revealed a lot of her chest. Her hair was long and draped down her left shoulder.

Emma's smile widened as the brunette approached the bed and crawled over in front of her. Their lips met heatedly. Regina brought her hands up to the sides of Emma's face, slipping her tongue passed her lips. The blonde moved her hand to Regina's waist.

"A Regina worthy of your love. The perfect Regina." One of the women said.

Then Emma remembered that as much of a queen Regina was she didn't wear dresses. Especially not on a pirate ship. She would've noticed.

She pulled away from the woman with a frown. Her eyes flickered back to their normal state and she pushed Regina away.

"What's wrong, Emma? It's me." Regina brought her lips to hers again and Emma closed her eyes. They snapped open a second after and she forcefully pushed the woman harder enough that she tumbled off the bed. "Emma, darling…?"

Emma stood from the bed eyeing the three women in the room. She stepped over Regina and stopped when she was only inches away from her sword.

"Honey, what is it? Are you alright?"

An angry look passed over Emma's face. Her fingers grazed the handle of her sword.

"You're worrying me, Princess."

Emma grasped the metal and thought about her conclusion. It was solid. That wasn't her Regina. Though similar in appearance, the difference between this woman and the woman she shared a bed with every night were unmistakeable.

In one swift, flowing motion the sword went from the desk and into the air. It flew towards one of the women standing by the bed, and though it only collided with the dreamcatcher over the bed, that proved Emma was seeing things. The three women vanished in a black mist.

Regina didn't kiss her like that and the pirate she knew was the woman she wanted. The only better version of her that she wished for was the version that didn't suffer at the hands of the Devil. This Regina was worthy of her love.

Emma rushed outside of the quarters and found the entire ship in chaos. The crew was being seduced by dozens of them. Sirens. Emma moved towards the helm only to be stopped by Killian following one of them in her direction. The siren dissipated leaving Killian to continue in her direction. She raised an eyebrow at him but he kept walking.

He grabbed her around the waist and pull Emma to his chest. Emma warily watched him look at her like he was in love, his other hand reached out to touch her chest. The blonde quickly caught to what he was doing. She apologized in her head before she pulled back and struck him in the side of the face with her fist. Killian stumbled to the floor with a groan, holding his nose. He looked up a moment later and had a confused expression.

"Swan? Where's Neal? He was just there..."

Emma shook her head and searched around for any sign of her sister. Emma was reluctant to let herself think Regina would be fine even when she had a hundred or so years of experience with this kind of madness but she knew her sister would need more help than Regina would.

"Go. I'll find Regina." Killian said. Emma nodded her thanks before turning around to look below deck. Before she got too far, however, the ship trembled violently as if it had crashed into something. "On second thought, I think it's best I save us from sinking first."

Emma swept through the ship dodging men who were too entranced to notice her. Although she did take a moment to stop one of them from messing with the gun powder. After seeing that, the best option seemed to be to knock them out even if it did incite some scary screeches from the sirens.

Six men had been subdued by the time she found Thea. The siren was laying on top of a stack of barrels in the galley, twirling her fingers and cackling in an eerie tone.

Emma lifted the corner of her mouth in disgust, skillfully finding a knife and flinging it at the siren. She didn't wait to see if she made her mark and walked over to Thea and Ruby who were caught up in an intense lip lock. Emma used her foot to push over the barrel Ruby was sitting on.

The brunette fell to the floor, immediately woken up from the trance.

She turned back to her sister and hit her in the back of the head. Ruby snorted as Thea startled awake.

"We've been boarded. Ask questions later, Swan." Ruby instructed.

The younger blonde barely acknowledged her, rubbing the back of her head with a frown.

Ruby addressed Emma, standing up from the floor. "I'll take care of her. Find Regina. Sirens want to kill the Captain first. The leader will be with Regina and you have to kill her to stop this."

Not to either of their surprise, Emma only nodded and left to complete her mission but only after she gently touched Thea's head to make sure she was okay. She arrived back up top to find that the deck looked no better than when she left it. She quickly grabbed Smee, seconds away from throwing himself overboard.

The ship jerked violently and she looked up to the helm seeing that Killian was struggling to navigate them through the freezing waters with two members of the crew clawing at him. She rushed up to help him, slightly disappointed that Regina wasn't anywhere around.

"When I asked to be fought over, I wanted it to be beautiful women or some handsome soldiers. Not this." Killian complained, elbowing one of the men. "I wanted striking, not…" He glanced at one of them, "Unkempt and dreadfully unclean."

Emma rolled her eyes and smacked Regina's conveniently placed spy glass over the man's head. Killian finally dropped the other one and smiled at her gratefully. "Much appreciated, Swan."

Emma dipped her head. He touched her shoulder with a sigh. He turned his head to the rest of the ship and spotted someone Emma was searching for. "Found the captain." Emma followed his eyes and saw Regina on the opposite end of the vessel. "Never let that woman off the quarter deck. I'd be quick about it."

The blonde didn't hesitate to start moving but Killian stopped her with a hand on her arm. He nodded towards the ground behind her and a familiar pistol caught her attention. She picked it up and understood what it meant. The pistol would kill the leader.

She pushed through the crew roughly stopping short of Regina and the siren leader. Her brow furrowed instantly when she saw that they were kissing. The siren pulled away from Regina and winked over at Emma.

"No, don't…" Regina pleaded following the siren like a puppy. "Emma, please. Don't go. I'll be better."

Emma took a step forward with concern written all over her face as Regina followed the siren up to the bowsprit. The long spar at the tip of the ship was not supposed to be walked on and though Regina wouldn't die, Emma feared the sirens knew a way to harm her and if they were far enough away from each other the Devil wouldn't hesitate to harm her.

"Please, Emma. Don't leave. Don't leave me." Regina climbed up onto the base of the bowsprit. "I'm sorry. I'm not a monster, I promise. I'm sorry, Princess."

James tackled Emma before she could raise the revolver to the creature tormenting Regina. Her heart ached from Regina's words. The pirate really sounded devastated.

Even with James attempting to stop her, Emma lifted the heavy weapon and aimed it at them. Regina took a dangerous step forward and Emma closed her eyes for a short moment.

The pistol started to glow in her hand and she pulled the trigger. Emma watched the bullet fly towards the siren. It grazed Regina's shoulder and into the siren. The creature, along with the rest of its friends faded into black smoke with loud screeches.

Regina fell from the bowsprit and thudded against the deck of the ship. James groaned as he laid on top of her and Emma looked to make sure he was okay before she shoved him off and got up to Regina. The woman was still but she blinked slowly when Emma's face appeared over her.

"Emma?" Regina asked, sounding confused.

Emma helped her into a sitting position and pulled her into a strong embrace. The brunette didn't ask any questions and laid her head against Emma's chest with the blonde's arms tightening around her.

* * *

"Why have they taken you?" Belle questioned. Once the guard left them to go back to the campfire August moved a bit closer to sit next to her. He grasped her hands despite being bound tightly around the wrists. "I don't know what's happening. Nothing makes sense August."

"I know. This will be over soon." August assured with a small smile.

"They could kill us once they get what they want."

"Something has them worried. I heard something…about pirates."

Belle frowned worriedly as she thought about it. She'd never met pirates before. To her, that just meant more trouble for the both of them. August nudged her shoulder before she could get too deep into her thoughts.

"They were speaking about the pirate queen. I believe she's coming after them." He said leaning his head back on the tree trunk they were sitting against. "Hopefully, they're close. We won't have to deal with this too much longer."

"Why do we want pirates here?" Belle looked at him like he had lost his mind. "They'd be worse than the Navy."

"Worse than the men who kidnapped the daughter of one of their men just to give the King eternal life? Do you like your kind enough for him to rule for all eternity? At the very least pirates can be bribed with gold."

"We have none, August."

He grinned at her and reached up his tied hands near her ear. She paid him no attention until he pulled his hands back revealing a piece of gold. Belle's eyes widened as he dropped it into her palm.

"Passage to the closest port."

"Or they kill us and take what they want."

"Such a pessimist, love. Captain Mills can be persuaded. She has weakness for tortured souls."

"I don't know about this." Belle sighed closing her fingers over the coin. August gave her a soft, encouraging smile before he leaned forward. His nose grazed her cheek and his growing beard scratched against her jaw. She reluctantly accepted his advances, turning to him so that their lips could meet.

"How sweet…" A soldier interrupted. Belle and August pulled away from each other. The man, along with three others, approached them. He grabbed August roughly by his shirt and pulled him forward. "Mind if I cut in, lass?"

August struggled against the hands roughly dragging him away from her. Although he felt relieved that all of the men followed. It meant at least they were going to leave her alone for now. He took comfort in that fact knowing that whatever the men had planned for him wasn't going to be good.

"No! Let him go!" Belle shouted.

When they finally dropped him, August could still see her. He looked up at the men with a bit of fear in his eyes. Several things ran through his mind but a few of them were eliminated at the cracking of knuckles.

"You know…" the man said. "You're not an important, bloke. I'm sure the captain wouldn't mind…"

"No!" Belle shouted again.

The soldier brought his fist back and smashed it hard into his face causing everything to go dark.

* * *

Emma was messing around with the compass on Regina's desk when the woman found her. Regina leaned against the doorway with her arms folded across her chest.

"Captain?" Regina called with a smirk. Emma blushed and sat the compass down but didn't attempt to move away from the desk. She just straightened up and raised an eyebrow at the other woman.

The pirate moved further into the room with an amused expression. "Sorry to interrupt, Captain Swan, but there's something you must see. I insist."

Emma shrugged her shoulders and stood up from the desk. She came around to stand in front of Regina. The older woman glanced to the heavy cloak over her shoulders and then up to her curious eyes. Emma reached out and touched her face, looking her over for anything wrong.

"I'm fine, Emma. You saved me." At that, the blonde looked a bit smug. "You'll never let me forget, I'm sure."

Emma shook her head and smiled. Regina gestured towards the door and she obeyed the silent command, wondering what the brunette wanted her to see. She walked out under the dark sky and immediately looked up to the stars above.

Regina slipped her hands over her shoulders as she looked up to them.

"Although they are very captivating, that's not what I want to show you, Princess."

Regina turned her toward the east and Emma's eyes connected with a strange sight in the distance. It was a big island but one part of it caught her attention. Just on the edge, the water was glowing an intense red at the entrance to what looked like a cave. Emma turned to Regina with a questioning smile.

The pirate cleared her throat, almost nervously, as her cheeks for the first time, turned pink.

"Amongst pirates, there is no courtship but I…" Regina paused and lifted her eyes to meet Emma's. "I want to take you someplace to show you my gratitude…If you would like to accompany me?"

'Yes.' Emma nodded eagerly. She wouldn't pass up some time with her pirate and she was very curious about the glowing waters.

Killian made his presence known with a small cough. They turned to him seeing that he had the dinghy prepared to leave. He bowed low, very seriously for Emma.

"Your chariot awaits, Your Highness."


	19. Chapter 19

The last thing Emma was expecting from Regina was to be courted. Though, she didn't care much for it now that they'd never parted for nearly a year's time.

That is why it was surprising that it wasn't just any water cave. The water illuminated greens and blues and purples. The red she'd seen only went as far as the entrance and then faded into white.

Regina had stopped in the center where the colors of the water reflected onto the ceiling of the cave.

For a long time, Emma stayed intrigued at her surroundings, her interest unwavering. And for a long time, Regina tirelessly watched Emma, never losing interest until there was a splash in the distance and it caused Emma to jump.

Regina reached out for her hands as she got startled and assured her with a smile, "It's all right," she said glancing around them, "The water wasn't the only thing I wanted to show you."

Before she could start to explain, a set of hands grabbed onto the side of their boat and Emma sprung up from her spot opposite Regina. The pirate was surprised when the blonde scrambled into her lap with a wary expression on her face. Shortly after, a head popped up from the water and Emma burrowed further into Regina.

"Emma-"

A few more sets of and accompanied by shoulders and heads. Emma had no clue what to make of them at first glance so her first and only thought was to seek protection in the one immortal who was her ally. Regina pressed a hand to her back as she leaned closer and closer into her.

"It's alright, dear," Regina said and grinned, trying to hold back her amusement.

A hand reached out and brushed against the coat Emma was still wearing and the blonde frowned and snatched the piece of her coat away. She huddled up, avoiding the edges of the boat as much as she could and tucking herself impossibly close.

"They're mermaids." Emma looked at her with a skeptically raised eyebrow. "I promise. They're mermaids. We're the first humans they've seen. And you're certainly the first mortal."

Emma didn't look any less wary about the six mermaids gathered around the boat. Regina reached her hand out to the first mermaid that'd appeared and she immediately took her hand inspecting each of her fingers and all of her rings closely. "They're the children of the bunch, I assume. Probably just a few years younger than myself." Emma looked at her like she'd lost her mind and Regina smiled again, "Mermaids live very long lives."

Emma turned her eyes to the mermaid toying with a ring on Regina's index finger. She pulled it off and looked at before her eyes shifted between them. Suddenly, she disappeared under the water taking the ring with her. Emma shot to the edge of the liner, searching the water for the thief.

"It's fine, Princess," Regina informed, pulling her back, "The only thing of true value to me is you."

She slowly sat back down opposite Regina and was completely oblivious to the mermaids reaching in to touch her out of curiosity. Emma just stared back Regina for a long moment and then a tilt in her lips appeared.

"You're the only thing I don't want to lose. The only person I couldn't stomach to be without," Regina continued until she suddenly felt like maybe she had been saying too much. She averted her eyes from Emma's intense gaze and looked back to the water around them. "Besides, you're unfortunately not shiny enough for them to want to steal."

Emma shook her head with a grin and leaned forward into Regina's space. She kissed her nose and pressed their heads together lightly.

"Do you swim, Miss Swan?" Regina asked with a grin equally soft. Emma shrugged her shoulders in response, not really turning her attention to question but instead stayed spellbound in Regina's eyes.

Unfortunately, the other occupants of the water cave had other plans for Emma.

Regina playfully tilted her head as if attempting to kiss her and Emma fell for it. The pirate pushed the coat from around her as the warmth of the cave shielded them both from the freezing air outside. Emma let herself be freed from the fur.

A hand latched onto her forearm and swiftly pulled her overboard. She made a big splash in the water. All the mermaids gathered around her with silent snickers as she broke the water's surface. Emma's first thought was to scowl at Regina but her eyes widened in awe when she saw that Regina was laughing.

A genuine laugh. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen…ever heard. Though she'd never really thought about it, since she had known Regina, the woman had never laughed. And especially not like the way she was now.

Emma was taken out her trance by the mermaids who were curious know everything about her. The blonde gave them a cautious glance and looked to Regina before willingly allowing them to touch her without flinching away. Three of them gathered around her and touched her hair, finding the smallest things so fascinating.

Regina watched as the mermaids played in Emma's long blonde hair. The interest didn't come as a surprise to her since mermaids tended to only have dark hair. She'd never seen a mermaid with blonde hair.

Ultimately, they did get bored of hair and moved on to putting shell necklaces around Emma's neck and finally swimming through the colorful waters. She swam with them, they showed her things they could do with their natural ability to swim, and Regina was contented to watch her until sunrise.

Emma disappeared from her view and reappeared at the edge of the boat, flicking Regina with water. She climbed back inside with her, grinning mischievously.

"Was that necessary, Swan?" Emma nodded proudly as Regina pulled the coat over her shoulders again. Regina rolled her eyes and said, "I had no intentions of getting my clothes wet."

'You're a pirate,' Emma mouthed.

"That seems to always make your point valid, doesn't it?"

Regina raised an eyebrow at her and the blonde knelt down in front of her so that they were face to face. She slipped her fingers through hers and it had its desired effect on the pirate. She looked at their fingers locked together beneath them and directed her eyes back to Emma.

"I've been curious for quite some time…and I have no intentions of pressuring you for anything. I'd just like to know something. Somewhat of a request, if you will…"

Emma nodded in return.

"Would you ever consider speaking to me one day?" Regina asked. Her voice was quiet as if she didn't want the mermaids to hear it. The blonde seemed to think about it for only a second or two before softly smiling and giving a single nod. "If I may be forthright, I believe your voice will be the most beautiful thing I'll ever hear."

'I love your laugh.'

Regina frowned in confusion, wondering if she'd read the words wrong but Emma raised her hand and caressed her cheek. She noticed that the pirate looked to be nervous from her touch as she searched her eyes for clarification and so Emma moved forward to connect their lips.

The water around them turned light and warm, scattering many colors across the rippling waves. Emma's hand slipped under Regina's clothes, coming into contact with scarred but soft skin of her stomach.

The mermaids kept their distance, observing with silent giggles as their tails shimmered the intense colors of a rainbow that bled into the water.

"Emma-" Regina attempted to say but was silenced once more by gentle lips against her own. She was rendered speechless when Emma slid the fur back and then took off the shirt that clung to her wet body. "I-"

Emma kissed her again, guiding her forward as she laid back. Regina was hovering over her by the time she could pull away again. She looked down at intense green eyes, suddenly remembering every lover she'd been too aggressive with. She remembered the first time she'd been tempted in lust by Emma's presence.

"I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you," Regina confessed. Emma tugged her forward gently, coaxing her out of her doubts. The pirate only frowned, "Are you sure?"

In response, she was pulled further down and kissed hard. Enough confidence was gained back for her to continue but Emma suddenly ceased their kissing with a hand on her chest. She nodded her chin over to the mermaids and Regina raised eyes to the blushing creatures. She glanced to the vibrant colors shining in the water around the boat before she looked back up to them.

"I believe I can take it from here," Regina stated, and the mermaids promptly dove under the water. Their tails launched something colorful into the air and it glittered above them.

Emma could only find interest in the magic like display for a moment and then she tugged on Regina's shirt, forcing the woman down with her, lips trapped in a passionate embrace.

* * *

"August."

Belle's voice rang in his ears, but he couldn't see her. His body was weak, and everything hurt.

"August. Wake up, please."

After another moment of silence, August opened his eyes and instantly closed them back with a flinch. The sunlight was too bright, but he opened them anyway once the thought of Belle's wellbeing appeared in his mind. He sat up quickly with his eyes wide open, searching the woman closely. Once assured that she was unharmed the shooting pains finally registered to him.

He let out an aggrieved sound, hunching over tiredly. Belle put her hands out to touch his bruised face. August winced at her touch and then managed a boastful grin.

"How's my pretty face?" He smiled with cracked and bloodied lips.

"Still very pretty," Belle chuckled. She took his face into her hands and said, "Stop trying to be a hero."

"I'd do anything to protect you, My Beauty."

"Foolish, man," she muttered but still granted him a kiss.

August wasn't given the chance to smile back at the display as Belle was quickly snatched away. He looked up, ready to fight, and found Gaston standing over him. He attempted to leap up defensively, but the man had the obvious advantage and forced him back to the ground with his boot against his stomach.

"Stop it!" Belle shouted, jerking away from Gaston's hold, "He's done nothing to deserve this treatment."

"So long as it doesn't interfere with our mission I could care less what my men do for fun," Gaston replied, roughly jostling her to stop from struggling against him. "I've come this far. Sacrificed many ships and men to get here and I will return home with the ultimate treasure."

"I don't even know what this damn treasure is!" Belle leveled him with a ferocious glare. "Leave him alone!"

"With pleasure, my dear." Gaston turned to August with a sneer. "It seems you'll only slow us down from here, magician. You won't be continuing on."

"No!"

Gaston rolled his eyes and pushed Belle away into the grips of another man who immediately gagged her to stop her loud protests. The captain snapped his fingers and the man started to take Belle away.

"You would've made an excellent jester for the king. Maybe even a value collect…"

August grimaced at him and didn't hesitate to show how he felt. He spat in his face.

"Gah," Gaston exclaimed stumbling backward. He wiped the offending fluid from his face. "You…"

"Would you like to see another trick, Captain?" August asked, with anger overtaking his tone.

"Unfortunately, for you. The pirates won't be so merciful."

August watched, unable to move, as Gaston walked away.

* * *

Seagulls.

Regina's least favorite flying bird but in this one instance, she was willing to overlook her hatred for them. If not for the seagulls, the Hangman's crew would've been forced to either flee or go on to seize the Naval crew's crusade on the island.

The sounds of the cawing birds, Regina woke up from a pleasant slumber. Emma was wrapped in her arms and still fast asleep. Their closeness reminded her that they were stark-naked and using the thick fur coat to as bedding and her captain's coat as a blanket. She sat up and squinted at the sunlight shining into the cave.

She felt dizzy. It wasn't something she'd felt in a long while, but she didn't give it too much thought. Regina looked down to Emma and carefully touched her arm. The younger woman stayed asleep even as she took her middle finger and glided it down her arm.

"I've done nothing to deserve you," Regina said to herself as she stared down at Emma.

A moment later, while Regina was rummaging through their discarded clothes, Emma woke up. She had no intentions of fully waking up. She only wanted Regina and her captain's coat to return to keep her warm. Regina had just found her blouse when she noticed that Emma was awake.

"You could've slept a little longer." Regina pulled the garment into her lap and gave Emma a small smile.

Emma didn't immediately respond but before she could even think about what she wanted to do, Regina's eyes flash white. The pirate didn't even seem to notice it either. Emma's eyebrows scrunched up and Regina tilted her head.

"What is it?" Regina asked.

She looked at her eyes, now only just brown and then noticed something even more surprising. Last night she'd had the chance to really see the violent cuts over the area where Regina's heart resided. Emma shook her head and reached out to touch her. Regina followed her hand until it was warm against her chest. Her eyes widened at what she no longer felt there.

She raised her hand to touch the spot as well while Emma shamelessly moved her hand to Regina's stomach. They both looked over every part of skin showing on her body. Nothing.

"They're gone?" Regina questioned in confusion, bring her hand up to her upper lip. That was still there to her annoyance.

Emma pulled her hand away and grinned. 'My favorite,' she mouthed. She sensed Regina wanted to protest it but didn't give her the chance. She kissed her passionately and then pecked the scar gently.

"I suppose I must find another way to repay you for this," Regina said.

The blonde, naked and uncaring, sat up and shook head. There was no need to repay her for attempting to break her curse. So long as she had the ability to be selfish about being the only person that Regina shared this intimacy with.

"Well, then maybe a bed next time will suffice, Princess," Regina suggested, and Emma smiled in amusement.

Regina quirked the corner of her lips but then sighed as she turned her eyes outside of the cave. The ship was within view and she could hear faint sounds of drums coming from it. It signaled the end of their amorous solitary.

"Unfortunately, we must return. We have to finish what I've started."

Emma pouted and rested her chin on Regina's shoulder. Then she laid her cheek down on her warm skin and looked out to the ship with a sigh.

"Well, if we finish this quickly, you and I can retire to bed after."

It was somewhat convincing, so Emma snatched her pants from behind Regina with a smirk.

They returned to the ship shortly after getting dressed again. As they very well knew, the crew was full of men who didn't hesitate to give knowing smirks directed to their captain. Emma failed to hide her blush from the looks of Killian, Ruby, and Thea. Regina ignored it for a few seconds before she demanded everyone prepare for a land invasion.

"What do you think?" Regina asked, watching Emma as she changed clothes, "Do you think they even made it here? Or was this entire trip for nothing?"

Emma looked up from her sword and tucked it into the scabbard on her hip.

"Did I risk your life countless times…for nothing?" Emma pursed her lips in disbelief. "You saw what it took to get here. There are dozens of other ways to navigate passage here, where there are even more monsters in the way. One Navy ship wouldn't survive. We barely did, and I traveled to the fountain once before already."

The blonde touched her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her temple.

"Why is it that understand what you mean? All the time?" Regina asked with a small smile. Seeing the flash of teeth was enough for Emma and she smiled back.

After a moment, Emma began looking through her tricorns. She tried a few on herself before she picked up one she seemed to like and walked over to Regina, placing it on top of the mane of dark hair that laid down her shoulders. She adjusted it to the right and then brushed some fallen, slightly curled hair out of Regina's face.

"Am I terrifying enough now, dear?" Regina asked.

If Emma were to be honest, no. Although that wasn't because Regina was any less of a pirate now than when they first met. But a year ago, Regina wouldn't have given a thought to using her cursed abilities to save someone's life. She also wouldn't have been the kind, gentle, and charming lover she knew her to be.

'Perfect,' Emma mouthed.

"Very well then. I'd like to get this over with." Regina stood up from the bed and started to make her way towards the exit. She looked over to Emma who followed behind her. "I believe we agreed to reward ourselves for our triumph."

The blonde bowed her head with a suggestive smirk. Regina let out a surprised yelp as Emma's hand found her rear. The pirate looked a bit stunned, but Emma just winked at her before she walked ahead.

"Jones!" Regina shouted. "We depart now!"

She let out a sigh. For once she was disappointed that the action wouldn't come and go already. She would've preferred to get that reward now  _and_  later.

* * *

"Quiet," Ruby commanded, raising a hand to halt them. She was looking through the trees with narrowed eyes. Emma took Regina's spyglass from her hip and handed it to her.

"What is it?" Regina questioned.

"The entrance is close…" Ruby mumbled, "It goes underwater, doesn't it?"

"Eventually."

"We may have luck on our side. It looks as though they've traveled from the other side of the island. Must have taken a few nights to get here, especially with such a large crew."

"Well, we certainly have experience on our side then. We knew where to approach," Killian commented.

"Can we take them?" James questioned.

"Haven't sailed long enough to realize you'll always be outnumbered." Ruby smirked, passing the spyglass back to Regina. "Of course, we can take them."

"Aye. I like the sound of impossible odds," Killian grinned. He reached for his sword, but Regina stopped him.

"Silently," she said and then nodded to the two men that had diligently and loyally kept watch over her quarters as well as Emma. They bowed their heads and quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.

"Why do they get to have all the fun?" Killian grumbled.

Regina ignored him. She turned her eyes back to the Naval men marching their way towards the fountain. "Scatter," she said in an even voice. Everyone obeyed her command. Emma hesitated, slightly confused, but Regina reached out for her wrist.

"Stay with me?" Regina inquired.

'Your Majesty.'

The pirate watched her lips move and saw Emma give a short bow. Instead of saying anything to respond, Regina captured her lips in a gentle kiss.

"Hey." They pulled away from each other at the harsh whisper. Ruby was perched in a tree with a raised eyebrow, "Focus, lovebirds."

Emma frowned up at her as she was now brandishing a crossbow.

"Don't worry, dear," Regina assured, "I have no idea where she keeps it."

"You may be immortal, but I'll shoot you anyway."

Emma tapped Regina's shoulder, interrupting the older woman's snarky reply to Ruby. She pointed ahead of them through the trees and both her guards were moving with noiseless steps. Emma cringed at the sight of their daggers messily disappearing into two of the crew members necks.

Something uneasy formed like a rock in Regina's stomach and she almost was sick at the pools of blood in the dirt. She turned away with her back pressed into the tree and put a hand on her stomach with a confused crease in her forehead.

"Mills," Killian called. "You alright, love?"

Before she could respond Emma ducked down behind the bush in front of her.

"I know you're there!" Gaston shouted, "Show yourself!"

Regina swallowed the strange lump in her throat and took a deep breath. Emma looked up at her with concerned eyes.

"Come out and face me, you filthy pirates!"

Emma stood up defensively, absolutely offended on Regina's behalf just as Ruby released an arrow from her crossbow. It landed near the tip of Gaston's left boot. Regina moved from behind the tree and slowly walked to the clearing. Killian – ever the protector – came out and leaned against the side of a tree trunk.

"Captain Mills, I presume?" Gaston questioned. He stepped forward proudly, flicking a lock of black hair from his face. The lively red captain's coat nearly made every pirate present sneer in disgust.

Regina looked at him from his slicked back hair to his spotless black boots and smirked.

"Or if you prefer, Queen of the Damned-"

"I prefer nothing," Regina said disinterestedly. She glanced at the one woman standing amongst them. She was tied by the wrists and silenced by a cloth over her mouth. Her eyes turned back to Gaston. "Captain Legume, is it?"

"The one and only."

"Oh," Regina glanced around to her crew and then back to him with an amused turn of her lips, "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"You should, pirate," Gaston spat.

"Oh, my dear, I require more than that. A show…do you sing as well?" Regina questioned. The man was instantly irritated by the laughs it incited from her allies and even a few splutters erupted from his own men.

"How dare you-"

"I'm growing bored of you already. You're just going to give me what I want and then flee."

"Excuse me?" Gaston exclaimed in outrage.

"The woman. Give her to me," Regina commanded.

"You're severely outnumbered, I'm afraid. So, no."

Regina tapped her boot against the tree and on cue two arrows were launched towards them. Two men collapsed, dead from a point to the head. Gaston's men recoiled, easily becoming worried.

"I don't need them, but they enjoy the sport." Regina touched the tip of her sword as some of the crew she'd brought with her made themselves noticed when they appeared slowly from their hiding spots. "But, of course, I will take a request. Would you like me to slaughter your men and then you alone? I assure you, I will. Just beg me for it."

"You're quite mad if you think you're going to have me beg for my own death. You're mad if you think I'll be on my knees for you for anything." He narrowed his eyes when Regina just seemed to snicker. "I assure you, that I will purify the sea of you abhorrent, crooked savages."

"Oh, I wish you would've just begged me," Regina said with a disappointed sigh. Everything about her tone was mocking. It angered him as she hoped.

Gaston's eyes flickered around to his men and then ordered, "Kill them all."

One man was foolish enough to draw back his elbow, arrow aimed for Regina's head. The arrow was released and swiftly cut down by a blade. Most of Gaston's men looked to Emma who had cut into the arrow, causing it to split in two and fall to the ground.

Gaston had watched the display noticing the protective look that passed over the quiet blonde's face. He snatched Belle and started to briskly walk away as a battle broke out. Regina watched him and shook her head.

"Trust a man to make things difficult when I ask nicely," Regina muttered. Emma smiled in amusement for a moment since Ruby had quickly managed to take out the front line of defense.

The pirate charged forward with a determined look on her face. Emma glanced around to the fighting and decided she'd follow Regina as she didn't know how far the woman would go. Regina cut down one man in her way and then effortlessly stabbed her sword into another's chest.

Emma dodged an attack from the side, countering swiftly and swiping her blade across the assailant's body. She understood that Regina was immortal, but she didn't exactly enjoy cleaning up the mess she left behind her. Regina didn't even take a glance back at her attackers leaving them to their demise from the tip of her Emma's blade. The blonde didn't have much of a taste for killing like the rest of the crew did, but they were the enemies.

Gaston stopped just at the entrance to the cave and Regina slowed down with a sigh but the clicking of pistols made her stiffen. Anger pulled at her top lip and she looked up to Gaston who was smirking triumphantly with two men beside him holding guns. Regina turned to Emma with two pistols at both her temples, restrained by firm grips on her arms.

Regina was about to say something when they heard a sound that chilled her bones. Killian yelled in agony in the distance, but she had to resist moving or she'd get Emma killed. At that, Belle took the chance to escape and slammed an elbow into his stomach and ran off. Regina moved in the way of the two marksmen's line who aimed at the woman.

"See? Now I have even more reason to kill her," Gaston said, with anger in his tone. "I can't return to the king empty-handed."

"I never surrender," Regina said, "So, I'm offering you a great reward." Again, Regina looked back to Emma and the blonde shook her head vigorously. "Just let her go unharmed."

"Very well," Gaston agreed.

Regina froze and the sword in her hand tumbled to the ground. She touched sharp object penetrating her stomach. It looked to be a harpoon point. She let out a heavy breath starting to feel something unpleasant. Two more punched through her torso followed by one in each of her arms and then her thighs.

"I want her unmoving," Gaston ordered.

His marksmen were still in place but it went unnoticed by Regina he scouts in the shadows. They stepped out intending to detain Regina. A rope was put around her neck from a simple toss and tightened enough to surprise her. Impulse had her reaching up to grab the rope but the harpoons in her arms were pulled back.

Emma swiftly disarmed the sole captor and punched a bullet into his neck. Gaston raised a hand to halt his gunmen. She dropped the gun and ran up to Regina. The pirate shook her head.

"Don't test this man," Regina said harshly. Warm hands grasped the sides on her face as tears ran down her lover's cheeks. Regina's expression softened, and she said, "If I don't, you'll die. You're everything to me, Emma." Emma dropped her forehead against Regina's.

"I don't know how I deserve you, Princess." Regina gave her a closed, tight smile. "My piece. Take it."

Emma frowned but pushed aside her shirt anyway and found the coin around her neck. Regina nodded her approval and the blonde gently pulled it away.

"Wrap it up," Gaston barked.

Regina inhaled shakily as Emma lurched forward and kissed her hard. Emma didn't want to let go so she had to take a painful step away to end the kiss.

"Goodbye, my love," Regina whispered.

"Emma!" Thea shouted running towards the scene but by then Gaston and his men were roughly pulling Regina away. She slowed down when her sister dropped to her knees. Thea got down beside her as the older woman stared down at the coin in her hands.

"What is it?" Thea asked, "Where did…?"

James walked towards them with Ruby holding Killian up. His hand was hidden under his coat, lots of blood dripping to the ground. They came over to them, James tightening his hands around Regina's tricorn.

"Emma, please," Thea said with concern in her voice.

Killian spotted the pirate lord's piece cradled in Emma's hands. "She's the captain, now," he said. Thea looked up at him with a frown.

"Emma, what did she say to you?" Thea asked. She shook her sister who refused to even acknowledge their presence. "Emma?"

James sadly looked down at them. He got down on one knee in front of Emma and carefully took the coin from her hands and put it around her neck. Then he handed her the hat.

"Take all the time you need…Captain," James stated quietly.

It hurt in his chest to see her hug the tricorn close to her chest. Thea watched her sister closely and felt her heartbreak when the older woman started to cry. Emma's shoulders shook, and James put his hand on her shoulder. In response, she leaned into his chest, weeping even harder. Thea leaned her cheek against Emma's back and dejectedly closed her arms around her sister's waist, feeling the body against hers shake and tremble with tears.

Ruby and Killian looked at each other tiredly. The man looked away from her, feeling emotions he'd repressed long ago. Although Ruby willingly let her tears fall but fisted them away angrily.

Their captain was gone.


	20. Chapter 20

The chains rattling and crashing against each other kept her awake at night. The harpoon points had not been removed and the ropes had been replaced with shackles that forced her arms out. They bit into her wrist and by now the skin was raw and bleeding and exposing flesh if it went on any longer. The chain around her neck prevented her from moving without choking herself, so she remained as still as her weakening body would let her be.

With the lack of sunlight and sleep, Regina had no idea how long it had been since she had given herself up. It hadn’t only been a sunrise since that day. Her pain grew stronger constantly and that meant she was getting farther and farther away from Emma.

Emma stayed on her mind as nothing else would keep her sane. Nothing else would help her fight against voicing her pain.

A puddle of blood formed and dried on the floor under her. It dripped from her face and was big enough for her to see her reflection. To her disappointment, the reflection never moved on its own or spoke to her, but she imagined Emma’s face. Her smile.

“So, we meet once more,” a voice said from somewhere around her. Though, Regina saw no face, she knew Gold’s voice anywhere. “Your princess gone…”

“What took you so long?” Regina smirked. “I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

“Oh, dearie, I’m not nearly finished with you,” Gold spat. He stepped out of the darkness from beyond the cage she was trapped in. His eyes glittered in satisfaction. “You’ve disobeyed me, My Queen. I gave you a chance to fix your mistakes but, alas, you spat at my generous offers.”

He walked forward, form fading through the bars as if they were nothing.

“I’ll give you one last chance to beg me for forgiveness.”

“Why don’t you be a gentleman and lower yourself, so I can spit in your face and at your generous offer, hm?” Regina lifted her eyes from the puddle and looked up at him.

“Ah, I see. More defiance.”

“Did you really expect anything less?”

“I’ve spent a very long time dealing with your insubordination, Regina. A hundred years and beyond. I’ve turned a blind eye at all your attempts to cheat your curse. I’ve tolerated your attitude and, apparently, I’ve bred a servant that challenges me far too much.”

“Do your worst Gold. I don’t care,” Regina said in return.

“And that’s where I’ve gone wrong,” Gold said, “Your mother was the first I’ve had to make such a selfish choice with her daughter’s life. You’re my first. This curse has never tainted another soul. So, I’ve learned from my mistakes with you and now you shall have your final punishment.”

“Final? Had I known you’d give up so easily I would’ve tried being captured long ago.”

“Final as in I’m going to end your life, Regina Mills.” Gold hooked his finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her restraints resisted the movement and Regina steeled herself against the feeling of her air supply being cut off. “These mortals intend to torture you and then eventually execute you. And when their blades take your head from your shoulders or their bullets tear through you, you’ll die a painfully slow death. So, you have until then to live.”

His finger slipped away from her skin, the pain she had been feeling seemed to suddenly burn like hot coal through her flesh and bones and blood. To Gold’s surprise, she didn’t scream still. Despite his hatred for her, he was impressed with her ability to hide her sounds of agony. Although he supposed maybe after so many decades of torture, it gave her endurance.

But at least he could find some enjoyment in the tears that fell into the pool of blood.

“It hurts but it won’t kill you. No. Not until your enemies finish you. You’ll suffer greatly until your last breath and then we’ll meet again in Hell, dearie. You’d be surprised how much worst pain is when your mortal flesh has been shed. Souls are just as delicate.”

Regina didn’t respond.

“See now, Your Majesty, your silent savior could never rescue you from me.”

* * *

 

“I can’t do this.”

Ruby stormed into Killian’s quarters with fire on her heels. He startled away from his restless sleep. He was soaked in sweat and deathly pale. Although, he’s state went right over the woman’s head.

Killian frowned at her through squinted eyes, “What are you talking about, love?” He questioned, slowly sitting up.

“I can’t run this ship. Not alone.”

“You’ll learn. It’s not that hard. You’re a woman, taking command comes naturally, doesn’t it? Do that.”

“Why are you not understanding? I was an assassin. Not a naval captain.” Killian opened his mouth to speak and she silenced him with a raised hand. “I mean it, pirate. I’m not even the captain. They won’t listen to me. Emma is the captain.”

“I bloody well know that,” Killian shouted back.

“Then you know that the captain is useless to us right now. Emma doesn’t speak, let alone even come out of her quarters. She’s not in the right frame of mind to be captain. Quite frankly, she won’t be helpful to us anytime soon.” Ruby sighed, wiping her hand across her face. “Not until we get Regina back.”

“Have you tried to talk to her?”

“I knew you were a fool, but this is just absurd. Even if I talk her into coming out of the cabin, she cannot run a ship if she won’t speak. And I know she won’t speak for anyone except Regina at this point. You fucking know that.”

“Bloody make yourself the captain. Question the other Swan why she won’t talk obviously I can’t lend a hand,” Killian said, “Figure it out or have the ship go down with a mutiny. Only a matter of time anyway…”

“Fucking useless,” Ruby scoffed. She left him in his quarters and looked around for the only blonde roaming around on the ship.

They weren’t sailing any near fast enough to catch Britain’s fastest naval ship. The only option they had was to take the fight to them and that meant against any and every soldier in the country. Emma was the captain of the ship, a pirate lord, and she was also now the official Queen of Pirates. Whoever held the title was in control. They could take on the King. But Emma didn’t even speak and that was one thing on a long list of problems.

“Swan!” Ruby called.

A moment later she received a reply.

“Ma’am?” Thea stepped up to her with an unreadable expression.

“We need to talk.”

“Of course.”

Ruby led her up to the helm. No one was around so it was the most privacy they were going to get.

“I need you to tell me why Emma doesn’t speak.”

“I-”

“The captain must command the ship. With words.”

“She just needs time,” Thea argued.

“I’ve given her time. The fact is that she is every bit of the princess Regina called her. Sure, she can fight and hold her own, but that does not make her a pirate. Not the kind of pirate that can command _this_ ship. _This_ crew.”

“I don’t know why.”

“Swan,” Ruby warned, “This is no time for games.”

“I’m telling the truth. I don’t know for certain. When we were younger she just didn’t do much talking. She talked less and less after the children in our village started to tease her for it. Then after she disappeared…” Ruby softened a little at the allusion of Emma’s captivity. She reached out for Thea’s arm to comfort her. “I was staggered when Captain Mills brought her back. She didn’t speak at all and I knew it had something, if not everything, to do with what they did to her on that ship.”

“It’s not unheard of I suppose. Still doesn’t help us.”

“If I talk to her and get her to come out, will you help her?”

“Regina would murder me if I did otherwise.”

* * *

 

“All you have to do is tell them what you want them to do,” Ruby instructed. The woman beside her didn’t show that she even heard what she’d said. “Anything?”

“Emma,” Thea pleaded. She wrapped her hands around Emma’s bicep. “You have to try to say something. We need a captain.”

Emma looked at her, eyes vacant, and again it didn’t really seem like she’d even heard them. They’d managed to coax her out of the cabin. She flinched at the sunlight and the paleness of her skin really showed how badly she was taking Regina's absence.

“Captain Swan, I believe Regina made a mistake. You were her only option in that moment, but she forgot that you don’t speak and that’s not something that works with the titles bestowed upon you,” Ruby explained, “Above being captain of this ship, you are a pirate lord. You’re now the Queen. Do you understand that?”

Ruby and Thea exchanged a look. Ruby sighed when Emma's focus seemed to leave them again.

“Look, Emma, I know it’s hard without Regina here. It’s been trying for everyone but the only way we can get her back is if we have a captain that can lead us.” Emma looked up at her then and there was a bit of hope in the three of them.

“Emma, can you even speak?” Thea questioned, “Father never talked about it. It never seemed more important than getting you back.”

Emma nodded her head solemnly. She reached up to the coin around her neck and lowered her eyes to the deck in defeat. Thea threw an imploring look over to Ruby and the brunette took a calming breath before she stepped up next to Emma. She placed her hand against Emma’s back and looked out to the rest of the ship.

“If you honestly can’t speak now, I won't push you. But you at least have to let me know how to command them. You know the ways of the sea better than I.” Emma nodded her understanding. “Good. It’s a fair start.”

“How exactly are we going to get Captain Mills back?” Thea asked.

“Well, she does quite enjoy explosions.” Ruby smirked. “I’m sure even her curse won’t rid her of that pleasure.”

Ruby patted Emma’s shoulder. “Shall we, Captain?” She asked gesturing towards the rest of the ship. Emma looked up from her feet and was met with the sight of the entire crew down below, looking expectantly at her. She turned her eyes to Ruby and gave a nod.

“Pledge your loyalty to your captain,” James announced, “The Queen.”

There was a long pause that worried both Emma and Ruby. Pauses and hesitations on a ship never meant anything good. Those obviously sided with Emma, instinctively reached for their weapons. The tension thickened until the men who watched over the cabin’s quarters removed their hats and bowed their heads. Then the sailors who’d been on the Hangman longer than Regina followed.

One man pushed through the crowd with an unreadable expression. He removed his hat as well but looked up at Emma. “People on this ship…we came here for treasures, but Captain Mills made us a family. If she chose you to lead us then we’ll follow you to hell, Captain Swan. To hell or worse.”

An aggressive chant of agreement vibrated over the ship and soon enough, the entire ship, every man, accepted Regina’s decision.

Emma would be their captain without question.

* * *

 

It had been a while since Regina had surrendered, and though everyone had accepted Emma as captain, they all wished for her to return. It was difficult not to see that Emma wanted it the most. She supplied orders but all the ‘fun’ of being a pirate had been taken away with Regina.

If she wasn’t needed, then she was alone in the cabin or forced to endure her sister’s company. Her mood didn’t improve for even a moment and physically she just wasn’t there some days.

Ruby and Killian took notice instantly. It was more than just missing her lover.

Thea exited the quarter’s quickly moving to dispose the contents of a bucket over the side of the ship. Ruby watched her walk back inside with a furrowed brow just as Killian came over to her looking better than he had before. He glanced over to Thea before she disappeared again.

“That’s the third time in four days,” he said, “We should be concerned.”

“She’s just a bit ill. It happens,” Ruby said in return.

“She’s lived on the seas longer than you have, love. She wouldn’t be under the weather from that.”

“There are many causes of sickness.”

“Well, you’re the smart one, Lucas. If we keep tossing bile overboard, then we may be taking a trip to a healer. They don’t like to see us.”

“Emma doesn’t need a healer.” Ruby looked out to the water. Killian followed her eyes, spotting the shadow of land through the light fog. “I took a small detour. It should only set us back two days’ time.”

“You’re assuming Regina has that long,” Killian stated. He shook his head, hoping that wasn’t the case but it had been quite a while since he’d last since his former captain. Anything could’ve happened in that time. “And from what I’ve seen, Emma could very well be affected by their separation. We shouldn’t delay.”

“Emma needs this. Because I cannot promise her that Regina will still be there. We can’t promise her that she’ll be the same after all the torture I’m sure she’s endured. It’s something to remember her by but it’s also something to give her hope…strength.”

Killian turned all the way around to face the growing silhouette. He squinted, trying to make it out in the distance. Nothing about it seemed familiar to him.

“Where are we?”

“Home. Her home.”

* * *

 

“Here we are, Captain Swan,” James announced as he stepped out of the dinghy to pull it deeper into the sand. Emma looked up from her lap to the island that had once been in the distance of the ship. She closed her hand around the coin and fastened it around her neck with a heavy heart at the thought of her lover.

She stepped out of the small boat, boots sinking slightly into the sand.

“Are you sure about this, Captain?” James asked. Emma only gave a single nod before she reached down into the dinghy and grabbed her sword. “Thea would have me dead if something happened to you.”

Emma patted his shoulder and the turned to face the island. Marigolds were flying in the wind, coming from the center of the island. She held her hand out and two got caught in her hand. They were a small reminder of Regina and everything she’d been told about her father. She brushed her fingers over the petals before they flew away.

Their present took the mystery and uncertainty out of the island. With all the flowers, it only made Emma feel safe and made everything familiar.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Emma mouthed to him.

She started walking, not waiting to hear his response. Soon, once she was through the layer of trees, she came upon a big house consumed in marigold flowers. Under her, the grass was barely visible under the bright flowers.

“You must be Emma.” She turned her eyes to a woman coming up to her. A soft smile brightened the woman’s features. “We’ve been expecting you.” Emma gave her a suspicious look, but she held her hands out to her and said, “My name is Isabel. Regina has spoken fondly of you.”

‘Regina? Is she here?’

“No, unfortunately, not,” Isabel said solemnly. Emma let her hands fall into the other woman’s. “Come. There’s much you need to see.”

Isabel led her into the big house that reminded her of Regina’s estate back in England. Although the tropical tones didn’t let her be too familiar with it. The sun was let in by the multiple windows. They walked in silence until they were in a room. Isabel closed the door behind them and searched around with gentle hands, coming over to Emma with a dusty book. Emma took it and laid it in her lap, letting her fingers trace the words.

“Her father told her stories from this book. About pirates…and princesses…” Emma looked up from the tome at that and Isabel smiled. “Knights and kings. She particularly liked the pirates.”

The blonde smiled fondly down at the book. She flipped through the pages as Isabel told her stories that had been passed through the house since Regina’s mother died. It was comforting to be surrounded by at least Regina’s memories. Somehow it was easy to imagine the little girl who fell in love with the pirate tales her father told.

Emma had heard of the Queen of Pirates like everyone else, but she didn’t know the story. Isabel knew the story from what started it all. Regina was young and greedy. The Dragon Sickness plagued her former crew. What she hadn’t heard too much about was her mother’s role in Regina being cursed. Cora’s actions made her blood boil but some part of her was glad that they were able to meet. Of course, if it had been under different circumstances, that would’ve been better but if not for the curse Regina would’ve been long dead before Emma had even been born.

“Don’t think about it too much,” Isabel said to her after a moment of silence, “Her mother was very unkind, but Regina was able to forgive her. But no matter…” Emma closed the book and set it aside. The other woman held out a silver pendant to her. “It was hers. She wanted you to have it.”

‘How do you know this?’ Emma accepted the necklace, letting it tangle through her fingers.

“Regina sent a letter,” Isabel answered, “I received it a while ago. She wrote mainly about you…about how she wanted to bring you to her former home.”

‘How did you know it was me?’

“Well, not many blonde women travel this far out sea. She has a very special connection to you, Emma.” Isabel walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room, her eyes staying on Emma through the reflection. “I know of the magic that curses her. You are bound to her mind, body, and soul. She feels you and you feel her.”

Emma frowned, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Your unwavering sadness is caused by Regina’s absence. You share true love.”

‘True Love?’

“True love is the only thing that can break her curse and you’ve already begun the process,” Isabel said. She turned around and came over to Emma, taking her hands. “You seek to rescue her, but you must be careful. If her captors figure out your power, I’m afraid your lives will only end in misfortune.”

Emma recalled Daniel saying something similar to that so it didn't really come as a surprise.

‘Thank you.’

“Of course.” Isabel smiled. “You must be off. I believe this stop has delayed your journey but stay if you wish. Don’t forget to come back again.”

Emma nodded, taking one last look around the room. She settled into the hug Isabel gave her easily and took her time to walk through the house. She wasn’t sure when she’d be able to come there again but she at least hoped it would be with Regina the next time.

She spotted the beach in the distance and continued forward only stopping when the trees seemed to block out the sun and she found herself nearing a headstone. Emma slowed down and stopped in front of it. Marigolds had surrounded the island but most of them were around the grave. Pushing away some of the flowers, the name engraved upon it came as a surprise.

She knelt down and ran her fingers over the name. Henry. Regina rarely talked about her life before her curse but the few times she did, it was about her father. Suddenly, the marigolds made sense. All the other times she’d seen them the people were celebrating the dead. With so many fluttering around, her father must have died today many years ago.

Emma closed her eyes and leaned forward, resting her forehead against the warm stone, ‘I will bring her back,’ she promised.

“Swan?” James called. Emma lifted her head to look at him. He must have been hovering nearby. “Captain, we should depart now. We have to start sailing again soon to keep schedule.”

Emma nodded and stood up from the stone. Her eyes stayed on it a moment longer before she started to walk away with James.

* * *

 

Ruby was there to greet them when they came back. She looked expectantly at Emma as she bowed her head.

“Captain,” she said, “So?”

‘Thank you,’ Emma mouthed.

“Better, I presume?” The brunette questioned and was relieved when Emma nodded. “That’s good. I know nothing will ease the ache until Regina is rescued but I figured you might appreciate encouragement.”

The blonde silently agreed, looking out to the island slowly fading away through the fog. Ruby stayed a step behind her, taking her role as first mate with ease. She’d done some reconnaissance while Emma had been away on the island. It’d do them all some good if Emma could show that she could truly lead them.

“Captain?” Emma turned to her. “We’re low on supplies. There’s a ship ahead. If we sail the Hangman at it’s true swiftness, we should be able to catch up to it by nightfall. Would you like to requisition it?”

Emma brow hardened slightly and to Ruby’s surprise, she gave a single nod without a thought. It was a choice Regina would’ve made without question, unless only Emma had disagreed. So it was progress.

Ruby laid her hands on the wheel and threw out a few orders to the crew below. Soon, the Hangman rocked and then quickly made haste.


	21. Chapter 21

"Captain, there's a ship in the distance."

The bearded man dressed in a deep red captain's coat and black tricorn turned around to face the west spotting the glinting gold trim far behind them. He held his hand out and his first mate easily placed his spyglass into his hand. He opened it and pressed it to his eye.

The sight he was meant with threatened to chill his bones, but he refused the eerie feeling in favor of thinking it was a mistake. It couldn't have been the Hangman of all ship coming upon them. Last he heard, their captain had been taken by the navy and that only meant the ship was left in the water. No one sailed that ship except for the Pirate Queen.

"Is it what your thinking, sir?" His first mate questioned, stepping beside him.

"Impossible. The ship has no captain," he said as he shook his head. He lifted the spyglass on last time and the position of the ship startled him. It was much closer now and the gold trim was clearer now. The sail was clearer as well. It was the Devil's Hangman. "I don't care what devil's magic has kept that woman alive all these years...nothing will make a ship sail without a captain."

"It's making headway, captain. Orders?"

"No. No orders," the captain said. He shoved the spyglass back into the hands of his first mate and turned back to the helm. "We continue on as planned."

"Captain-"

The faint sound of drums shook his confidence. His certainty crumbled as the thumbs drew closer and a horn followed not to long after. Unfortunately, he was well aware most heard those sound just before the Hangman struck. It was the final sound a man heard and death followed.

* * *

_Regina turned over, waking up from a pleasant sleep. Her arms came slipped around a warm body beside her. Blonde hair tinkled her nose and then quickly disappeared as Emma turned to face her._

_"Good morning, princess."_

_She smiled at the younger woman and met her in the middle for a kiss. They both took a moment to listen to the ocean waved crashing into the shore. It was a paradise long wished for and finally achieved. Although seeing Emma's smile every morning without any other cares or concerns was simply enough._

A twentieth lash to her back broke her concentration. Up until that moment she'd managed to handle pain as she usually did with deep fantasies of a simple life with Emma. And then Gold's gift gradually started to settle in making the pain unbearable to point she firmly wished to die through every session of torture that the king felt was necessary to extract information from her.

Regina wouldn't have hesitated to give up the secret he was after except it was just her luck that the one thing the deranged man wanted was something that did not exist.

The Kraken.

That's the only thing any of his men had ever mentioned to her. It had been a story and nothing more but she should've known that it would come back to bite her considering how often he inquired about it almost daily years ago.

A mythical creature that could defeat any foe. A tale would be her downfall. It wasn't really what she had in mind. More of a final battle of pirates and navy men was something more worthy. Though, she supposed as a pirate she wouldn't be deemed worthy enough for a simple hanging.

"Where is it?" A soldier questioned gruffly in her ear. She clenched her teeth at the burn of his rough fingers tugging at her hair.

"It's not real," she said with a hoarse, gritty voice. "As I've said plenty of times. It's a story."

His hand disappeared from her hair and the whip he'd been trying out on her skin, cracked against the flesh of her back. Her silence was broken by a small, pained sound escaping her throat.

"Enough," a voice called from the entrance of the cell.

Regina lifted her head, finding Gaston standing proudly across from her. Her eyes cut to the man beside him who was skilled at hiding his true feelings at the scene before him. "The King would like to grant her a small reprieve from your methods. Perhaps, he'll do..."

Graham stepped further in the room, conveying his apologies with his eyes. Under his hand was the shoulder of a man Regina had hoped not to see again. Daniel didn't attempt to hide the surprise and disgust he felt.

"You have a few moments alone before we expect results, Mr. Colter," Gaston stated, still looking proud.

Her tormentor followed Graham and Gaston out, closing the door with a heavy slam as if intending to lock Daniel in as well. The man stood there a moment longer, waiting for assurance that all had left before his eyes locked on to Regina.

"What have they done to you?" He asked, more to himself than anything. Regina lifted her head as he knelt down in front of her. "I'm sorry."

Regina scoffed. "Sorry? You won't mention how this was my fault? It was coming to me eventually?"

"I was hypocritical. I was a pirate, too. I know the life."

"And what?"

"What can I do, Regina?" Daniel questioned. "I know who Graham is and there's another here who follows orders from you. There must be plan to get you out. I will assist."

She shook her head and spat a clot of blood to the side. "Why are you here Daniel?" Regina asked. "Why would you be here?"

"To help you."

"We both know that's a lie," Regina said.

"It's none of your concern."

"Well, this conversation is over, don't you think? You're here to torture me not share feelings."

"Torture you? I didn't come here for that."

"Why else would they allow you to see me?"

The door opened once again and Gaston was the only one to step through. He pulled along a cart, sharpened weapons laying on the surface. "I hope you've said your peace," he said, "Weapon of choice, Mr. Colter."

"What?" Daniel questioned with a frown.

"What do you think you're here for? The King wants you to prove your loyalty and pry the secrets from her tongue. Choose a weapon."

"I didn't agree to this," Daniel said, sounding betrayed.

"Doesn't matter what you agreed to. If you don't want your family to pay for the crimes you've committed, you will do as requested."

"Family?" Regina questioned.

"My wife and child," Daniel murmured.

A moment of silence fell over them and then Regina lifted her head. Daniel couldn't resist the intense gaze that fell on him. It was as if the words were causing her physical pain. Although the man found it hard to tell for sure seeing as Regina had already been bleeding from nearly everywhere possible. She made a pained sound as she moved, the chains restraining her clinked and rattled.

Gaston unsheathed his sword as she sat up straighter on her knees. A determined look appeared in Regina's eyes and she looked to Daniel and said, "Do it."

"What?"

"You will pick up a tool and beat me with it until I tell you where my weapon is."

"I can't do that to you, Regina."

"You can and you will," Regina ordered watching Daniel's hand reluctantly hover over the tools.

He shook his head in refusal, earning a frown the pirate. Daniel glanced to the weapons before looking back at Gaston observing from the other side of the room.

"I can't," He whispered, "You've obviously suffered enough."

"Daniel, I've been suffering for over a hundred years now. What's a bit of torture to an immortal?"

Gaston cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Colter, we're waiting?"

"What will hurt less for you?" Daniel quietly asked.

"I'm being dealt punishments from the devil himself," Regina replied, "The only thing that could hurt less is death."

* * *

Three men. That's all there was left. Among the three was the captain. He shivered at the cool breeze that cut through his clothes, drenched in water and sweat and blood.

His eyes had been glued to the blonde woman that stood out in the crew the moment it was certain they were overtaken. They had all referred to her as the captain. She certainly was too pale and too blonde to be the captain he'd heard of. She was no Regina Mills. But a coin hung around her neck and though silent, her presence was that of a fierce pirate lord. He'd met plenty of them and was fortunate enough never to stumble in the path of the Hangman, until now.

"We've collected anything of value," James said to Emma. He had a piece of silver between his teeth. "What do you want to do with the living, Captain Swan?"

Emma turned to Ruby beside her who had been conversing with Killian. They both looked at her with uncertain expressions. She personally didn't even really want to kill anyone but the captain chose to retaliate before anything even happened so her own crew technically defended themselves - without leaving too many of their attackers alive.

Ruby sighed before stating, "I'm sure in the past Regina would leave no man alive but I don't know what she would do now. She tried to be a good person for you. Maybe she would just leave them."

"Aye," Killian agreed, "You made her soft, Swan. I'll handle it."

Emma and Ruby watched him walk over to the shivering, terrified men.

"We've killed your comrades and I understand that will bring malice but my captain is turning over a new leaf. You see, she was the conscious of our former captain but now the King has really earned her hatred by taking her lover and she would love nothing more than to kill you," Killian explained to the three men. More fear was the only thing that appeared on their faces.

James came up beside him and folded his arms across his chest. "What he means is...join or die. What'll it be?"

* * *

"Land ho!"

Emma lifted her head from the wheel of the ship, seeing the outline of the familiar town. Her eyes shifted around the ship as most of the crew that wasn't helping to prepare for them to dock, look over the edges of the ship. Among them were there two passengers who had thanked her for their rescue every opportunity and she only nodded in return, suddenly reminded that the only reason they were saved was because of Regina's surrender. It was wrong to think she'd rather them not to be saved if only to have Regina back but sometimes she did think that when she saw Belle and August together. Other times her envy was really strong when she saw her sister with James.

"Shall I steer us to port, captain?" Killian asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

Emma nodded and stepped aside letting him call out orders to safely guide the boat to the docks. She relieved herself to the cabin once more, laying down on her side of the bed. She lifted the coin up and turned it over in her fingers. Everything in the room helped her still feel Regina's presence but the coin kept her warm at times when only her pirate had been able to. The clothes and the drawn maps. And shortly she'd be in a house that was nothing but a big reminder just like the ship.

"If you don't mind, Captain Swan, I promised Mr. French to have his daughter returned safely," Ruby stated as Emma waited around as some of the crew escape to land. Her eyes turned to Belle and August and she nodded her approval.

"I'm sorry," Belle said to her before Ruby had a chance to lead them off of the ship. "I know Captain Mills started the journey to rescue me and I'll be forever grateful for that but I'm also in your debt because you chose to finish it."

"I agree. If you need any help...breaking her free," he raised his hand, holding Emma's sword between his fingers. Ruby frowned looking to Emma's waist and then back up to the sword. She pursed her lips and then snatched from him with a disapproving look. August gave a sheepish smile to Emma and shrugged. "I have sticky fingers."

"August," Belle hissed as he raised his other hand revealing a set of keys just as Emma took her sword back from Ruby. Both women looked on themselves finding he hadn't taken it from them.

"I took them from Legume back on the ship. Maybe they could be of use to you." Emma accepted the keys from his hand, hoping that this would make getting Regina back a bit easier. "If you ever require explosions, I'd be happy to assist."

"Alright, Mr. Booth. We've had enough magic tricks for today," Ruby said. She turned back to Emma and sighed before saying, "Please don't do anything irrational, Princess. Regina would kill me. We'll have her back soon enough."

Emma watched them leave down the dock, stuffing the keys into her coat pocket. A hand came down on her shoulder, the smell of rum invading her nose with an unusual intensity.

"Maybe this will take your mind off it, love," Killian said, "I'm very certain Neal will be furious..."

'It'll be fine,' Emma mouthed to him.

"Well, you can take my mind away then. I shall escort you back to your home, m'lady." She rolled her eyes but accepted his arm, feeling somewhat relieved at her departure from the vessel.

* * *

All through the day an uneasy feeling plagued her. She didn't feel sick, at least not from the usual bouts of vomiting she was accustom to since their travels back home. Everyday on the sea brought unrest to her stomach but that wasn't what bothered her. It wasn't until she slept that she discovered why.

Late in the night, after hours of unrest, Emma was pulled out a sickening nightmare that didn't seem to be just from her mind. The pain she witness be inflicted upon Regina was very real. It connected with the uneasiness she had been feeling.

Though, she was no magical being, Isabel seemed to right about a connection between them. Maybe it was because of the coin or the pendant. They both belonged to Regina and she'd never taken either of them off.

Emma pushed her thoughts about it away and wiped the sweat from her brow. She couldn't sleep or eat knowing that Regina was suffering without the privilege to sleep or even have a meal for god knows how long. It made her sick to her stomach.

She had to do something and she had to do it now.


	22. Chapter 22

Perhaps it was the way Regina made it seems so relaxing that led to this unusual occurrence. She called the woman lazy for it. Sure, let the girls draw the bath but wash as well? It was actually the best decision she'd made in a long while.

The warm water rolled down her shoulders, dripping off her chin as the final remnants of sea voyaging with rowdy men were washed from her hair.

"Do you think she's still alive?" One of the girls asked. She was elbowed for the inquiry the moment the words left her mouth.

"She's a hard woman to kill," Ruby said, "I'm sure she's alive but I'm can't say much to her wellbeing."

Hurried footsteps sounded from outside the room. Doors slammed closed, closer and closer to her room. She stepped out of the bath, water splashing onto the floor. She was handed a towel as the girls shrunk back away from the doors, fearing the commotion on the other side.

Ruby picked up her sword, ready for whatever was about to come through the door. Though much to their relief it wasn't an attacker coming through the door. It was Charlotte. It was a blessing that Ruby was very precise and accurate.

Charlotte froze in the doorway, stopping herself from swallowing too strongly with the edge of a sword pressed into her throat. Ruby slowly moved the weapon away from her skin and left only a small nick.

"My apologies," Ruby said placing the sword back in its place. "I thought you were an intruder."

"It appears your suspicions are much too late," Charlotte said.

"What are you talking about?"

"She …Miss Swan is missing."

"Thea? Her sister is now a pirate lord. I think she'll be fine."

"No." Ruby finally looked at the older woman, seeing that the guards were scrambling around behind her. "Your Captain. Emma."

"Impossible. No one can break in without me knowing it," Ruby said. She quickly pulled on some clothes before she bolted out the door with Charlotte keeping pace behind her.

"Of course, Guardian. But what if someone were breaking out?"

Ruby stopped and turned around. That was honestly the last thing to cross her mind. Emma wouldn't just leave. Especially in the middle of the night. And if she did, why?

"That makes no sense. Why would she leave?"

"Because her soulmate is being tortured in the royal dungeons." Ruby rolled her eyes at Charlotte's backchat. "If you hadn't been taught to conceal your emotions in times of crisis you'd do the same thing."

"There's a difference between Emma and I. I am trained to kill people. She was not."

"Something on which we can all agree," Killian said. He appeared from around the corner. "Until we find her, though, she can handle herself quite well with a sword. The one Regina gave her is missing."

"So she went to go save Regina who's being held in the most heavily guarded establishment in all the country …alone."

"Lass has a head start on us."

"Now who's captain?" Neal questioned, coming out of the bedroom to Ruby's right.

"Jones," Ruby answered, "You're the first mate."

"I don't battleplan, love. Especially, not for this." Killian folded his arms across his chest. "Let all the women have the power. It's worked for pirates the last hundred years."

"Well, get the crew," Ruby directed, "Once we get Regina back there will be too much alert on our town, so we'll need the ship to be near the King's port."

"And where are you going?" Killian asked.

"Emma is walking into a damn fortress. The idiot is going to need all the help she can get and I'm get it for her." Everyone watched her head for the stairs, naturally taking command once again. "Bailey! Get me a courier."

* * *

Graham glanced down the halls once more before he turned to the two women beside him. They were shaking nervously, and he had to stop the objects they were holding from making too much sound. It had already taken a great deal of persuading to convince his superiors that it would be beneficial for them to at least be decent to their captive. Maybe Regina would give up some information – not that he cared about that.

"Go on," Graham instructed. He opened the door a crack, but the women didn't move. "We don't have very much time. Now, would you please go inside."

"Sir."

The women jumped in surprise, ready to flee. Graham silenced them as his eyes fell on a skittish Robin coming towards them.

"Excellent timing, soldier. Please accompany these servants to tend to the prisoner," Graham said. Robin frowned for a moment but reluctantly forced himself to nod. "I'll wait here until it's finished. Here are the keys to the restraints."

Robin pushed open the door further and the pair finally went inside. He hesitated at the door, dipping his head to Graham. "Am I…?"

"You are not to release her. She wouldn't make it beyond this hall in her condition. We're to wait until her crew comes to rescue her."

"As you wish, sir."

Graham closed the door behind him and Robin reluctantly turned his head, met with the less than pleasant sight of a person's torture chamber. Dried and fresh blood covered the floor and stained the air. He'd never actually seen anyone get tortured, so this was a distressing first. It made his stomach churn, looking over the bloodied tools and broken whips.

"The keys, sir," one of the servants said.

Both women were waiting on either side of Regina's lifeless form. Robin approached slowly unlocking the shackles on her wrists one by one. Her right arm fell limp as it was release from it's bonds and then he was careful to undo the left shackle.

The younger woman appeared uncertain, but she easily helped Regina onto the ground. Robin pressed himself against the door once more watching with his throat too constricted to speak.

He couldn't really turn his eyes away as they stripped her of the rags she wore and washed away the blood of her wounds. After a while they didn't seem to be too worried about the unconscious woman. At least, not in the way they originally did. With all the moving and touching they had to do, they expected the woman to at least stir a little. She didn't even react to water being coaxed down her throat.

Robin ushered the women out once they were done. And as they left down the hall, he turned to Graham with an unsettled expression.

"Shouldn't we be concerned?"

"Of course we should, but this is the job she gave us. We do nothing."

* * *

Her sudden sickness hit her as it did almost on schedule in the evening. She had ridden horseback for hours, putting a fair amount of distance between herself and the town she'd been calling home.

First, she had to finish emptying the contents of her stomach before any planning could began. She stood up and got her composure back quickly. Regina's horse, Rocinante, gently nuzzled her back and she turned to pat his head.

She tied him to the post near a tavern and made her way inside. Surprisingly, she didn't appear to draw any more attention than one usually would when walking inside an establishment. She'd noticed the difference between herself and a lot of the people around her.

Pirates and those who lived nearby pirate occupied towns never resembled herself. Between her and Thea there weren't many blonde women around. Much like those places, this tavern was lacking in lighter haired patrons.

Maybe that was really where the princess moniker came from.

"What can I get you?" the woman at the counter asked. Her eyes raked over Emma's body with a raised eyebrow. "Are you one of them pirate captains?"

Emma glanced around, finding no one looking their way. She didn't respond to the question and the woman just nodded more to herself than anything.

"Well, you don't have to answer but that coin around your neck is a giveaway," the woman said. Emma tucked it into her shirt and turned her chin over to what the man at the table behind her was drinking. "He's sobering himself up. It's just water."

When Emma nodded her understanding of that, she got her a flagon of water. Emma drunk most of it at once earning a puzzled look. Without prompting she was given a top-up.

"That coin. You know the Queen of Pirates?" the woman asked. Emma didn't respond. "Do you have a name, Captain?"

A hunting knife was planted dangerously close to Emma's hand. An empty tankard followed.

"You need to mind your business, woman," someone said.

It was a much softer voice than Emma was expecting. Her eyes were met with another woman, another brunette, with a scar across her cheek. The barmaid pursed her lips and accepted the tankard to replenish it.

Dark eyes drifted over to Emma. She held out her hand and Emma gave it a skeptical look instead of taking it. "Mulan. Captain of the Nightingale." At that Emma shook her hand. "Nice to make your acquaintance, Captain Swan."

Emma took her hand away, face falling into a defensive glare.

"No need to worry. I'm a friend of the Queen. I was informed by the Voodoo Man that Regina had been captured." Mulan placed her payment down on the counter as the barmaid pushed her drink to her. She removed the hunting blade from the counter and tucked it away. Emma spotted a tomahawk hanging from her belt as she reached for a rolled parchment.

"I received this mere hours ago by hawk. From Ruby Lucas," She said and handed it over, letting Emma read it. "You left your crew." Mulan leaned in and dropped her voice. "There's no shame in walking away from this. Are you sure?"

Emma nodded.

"Pride aside, Captain Swan, I am the better leader. I break into and out of things all the time, so it's best you follow my lead." Mulan topped off her drink and dropped the tankard. "Do we have an accord?"

* * *

"The cover of night might be our advantage," Mulan said halting her horse.

"What about numbers? That's a disadvantage," August said, stopping beside her. Emma had stopped just ahead of them, using her spyglass to look at the palace defenses. "There are hundreds of guards and obviously we don't have much time to figure out a way inside."

"I thought you were a magician."

"Invading a palace is not what I do."

"Emma wanted you. I don't understand why. How are you going to be useful to me?" Mulan questioned, shaking her head.

"I can blow things up." August held up Mulan's tomahawk. "And I steal things."

"Bastard," Mulan muttered, snatching back the weapon, "Do that again and I'll murder you."

"I still cannot see how we stand against this place."

"Our strength is in our lack of numbers." Mulan turned her horse to the left, leading off the main path. "Captain Swan, we should stay out of sight. I know of another way."

Emma reluctantly turned to follow them, continuing her silent brooding as they rode the hidden trail around the palace walls.

"Lack of numbers?" August asked. "Sounds akin to a bloodbath. Our blood."

"You think it easy to sneak an army through an entrance of a king's palace than three people?" Mulan asked. August shook his head and looked away.

The blonde lifted her eyes from the path ahead of them and Mulan didn't need much else to tell Emma was anxious. The moment Emma decided to leave without her ship's crew was sign enough that she was desperate and impatient to have Regina rescued. Mulan could understand. Love could be an impatient, needy thing.

August noticed her staring and said, "The silence is what makes her scary."

"I've met Regina. She's the only thing that's scares me."

August smirked, "You believe in Devil curses and fish people, but you question magic?"

"They're mermaids-"

"And yet you don't believe I'm valuable to you."

"Your only magic is deception. That makes you more of a pirate than anything. Time to prove your worth then, Magician."

They came to a stop and ahead of them was the royal shipyard below. There were a dozen ships docked, big as whales and consumed with weapons and soldiers surrounding it. Mulan and Emma seemed to be unimpressed by the sight due to their intimate knowledge of their own ships' advantages. One of which, for Emma, being that the Devil's Hangman could not be sunk for as long as Regina's curse remained intact.

"We will surely die here," August said, frowning at the ships.

"So little hope for a man of magic."

Mulan got off her horse and unveiled the underground entrance that was covered in overgrowth. She used her unsuspecting strength to pry the door open and gestured for him to go first. August dismounted his horse and reluctantly climbed down. Once he got a torch, Emma went down after him and then Mulan followed, closing the door above them.

The silence drowned them aside from the small flickering on the torch and their footsteps. August was still trying to figure out what exactly was his role in this rescue. Emma had requested him, but he wasn't sure what for.

By the time he came to a conclusion, Mulan climbed a narrow set of stairs and used her weight to take the door off its rusted hinges. It budged a little but didn't open.

"Little help here, Swan." Emma came up behind her letting the woman put a boot on her shoulder. She got a grip on her calf and moved in sync with the other captain. The door bent out again. Again, Emma pushed Mulan with enough momentum to force the latch to break and the other woman was nearly already inside.

Mulan pulled herself up and extended a hand down to Emma. August followed them up without help. The passage seemed to lead into a barren dressing room, covered in sheets, objects collecting dust. But that wasn't something they dwelled on long as the moment they took a breath while inside the palace, the sound of a whip cracked through the air. Even with the distance, they flinched at the sound.

Emma moved with rage towards the door, but Mulan caught her arm.

"The only way this works is if you don't bring down all of England on us. Right now, only Regina is the enemy. We must stay in the shadows of their knowledge," Mulan said and then slowly opened the door herself.

The corridor was empty, but the sounds of a tortured soul grew in intensity.

She was aware that Emma wasn't any more patient now, so she walked out of the room with light steps, weapon drawn. Emma was nearly pressed so far into her back she could hear the woman's heart beating. She peered around the corner spotting four men guarding a single bolted door.

"Of course you won't need too much help, right?" Mulan asked. Emma brushed by her and walked down the corridor. August and Mulan stood in the middle of the hall and watched Emma fight the soldiers.

One could mistake her for a seasoned swordsman watching the way her movements sent swords to the ground. She slashed one guard across the chest, cut another's throat, and put a dagger in a third's back in rapid succession. The final guard took advantage of her momentary distraction and landed a stunning punch to the right side of her face. A dribble of blood ran down her chin and the guard felt the threatening presence that August spoke of.

"How long do you think she's been holding in that kind of rage?" Mulan question.

Emma disarmed the guard as she did the others. He took a swing at her and she responded with a swing of her sword. August cringed as the blade cut clean through his arm and closed his eyes as his hand landed on the floor with a wet thud.

Emma brought the blade across his body, hip to shoulder and then wasted no time thrusting the weapon through his chest. He fell like a rock, leaving Emma standing in the middle of a growing puddle, stained mildly with blood head to toe.

The sound of the whip ripped through the silence and Emma pushed into the room with Mulan and August rushing after her.

There he was, Daniel Colter, holding the whip in his hand. Emma raised her sword at him and he stumbled away.

"Wait!" Mulan shouted. "Leave him be, Emma. He's a pawn …following orders. Regina's instructions are not to ever harm him. Ever."

Daniel dropped the whip, raising his hands in surrender. He lowered himself to his knees. Emma could see the weariness in his face, the sorrow and exhaustion in his eyes. "She told me I must. For my family," he whispered, "I would have died before I did this but she forced me ...every day."

"Leave him be," Mulan said. Emma lowered the sword and stepped away from him. "She is all that matters."

She dropped the weapon and finally looked at the woman she'd been longing for. Honestly, after all this time, she looked better than Emma was expecting. She dropped to her knees in front of Regina, cradling her face in her hands. Emma looked over her shoulder to Mulan and the woman understood the silent command.

Gently, she unshackled Regina until she was free. Her body slumped forward into Emma's arms, wounds opening anew at the movement. A moan of pain escaped Regina's lips and Emma positioned her comfortably in her arms, carefully patting her cheek to see her eyes again.

Mulan knelt down in front of them and said, "I understand this is an emotional reunion, but we haven't much time. I promise I will get you both someplace where you can …reunite properly."

Emma nodded dismissively, more concerned with rousing her lover first. She pressed her lips to the woman's temple, ignoring how cold her skin was. Tears built up in her eyes, but she continued despite Regina's lack of reaction.

She easily recalled something Regina always wanted. Something that could maybe wake her up - bring her back. She licked her lips and took a deep breath to shed her nerves.

After so many years, she wasn't sure how bad it would be but if it would wake Regina she would try. So, she parted her lips slightly, brushing them against Regina's ear.

"Regina."

She whispered it. Surely, whispered it. And yet Daniel, August, and Mulan looked at her in surprise as if she had shouted the woman's name at the top of her lungs. The atmosphere in the room seemed to get heavier and lighter at the same time. Kneeling there to the side of them made Daniel feel as if he was intruding, so he stood up and moved away.

"Regina." Emma whispered again a little louder, more trusting of her voice. She saw movement under the closed eyelid of her right eye. Her thumb stroked over the cold cheek under her hand. "P-Please."

"Princess?" Regina mumbled, voice severely hoarse. "Emma? Is that you?"

Emma choked back a wet laugh and nodded as Regina's bloodshot eyes met hers. Not wanting to think the woman had missed her chance, she spoke again, "I'm …I'm h-here."

"You didn't give me a chance to clean up before you came. I must look terrible."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, My Queen," Mulan said, "We really must get going."

"Mulan?" Regina frowned. "It's been-"

"Far too long, of course. We can converse over ale some other time."

"You owe me a lot of money," Regina complained. August grinned and Mulan shook her head. Emma kissed Regina softly, still brushing her thumb over her cheek. Regina's eyes flickered back to Emma again. "And you speak to me, Princess. It must my lucky day."

"We h-have to g-go now," Emma said.

"As you wish, my love. Help me up?"

"Always."

It took longer than Regina anticipated but she was on her feet eventually. Her legs had to learn again, as well as other parts of her body. Emma took off the captain's coat and put it over her shoulders just as Mulan's sword clashed with another in the hall.

August informed them of the number of guards approaching and Daniel took Emma's sword much to the woman's displeasure.

"It's the least I can do," he said and Regina agreed.

Emma took up a pistol and shot down three guards all while supporting Regina's weight on her left side. Daniel led them through the palace after Mulan relayed where they would be taking refuge. The only way out would be through the front of the palace where most of the guards would now be.

Luckily, August came up with a plan of serving his purpose for being invited to the rescue. If there were a few things more alarming to a palace than escaping prisoners, then a troll was certainly on the list. He thought to conjure what he thought a Kraken to be but that could only bring more problems to the Pirate Queen if the king thought it to be real.

Trolls, as scarce as they were in the world, were tricky to deal with. And just because August created it in the middle of the palace court yard apparently didn't mean it excluded him or his companions from its line of fire.

"A troll?" Robin questioned, hurrying down the steps of the palace with Graham behind him. He shot off an arrow to deter the creature from hurling something in Mulan's direction.

"It was the magician," Mulan shouted, accusingly.

"For god sakes, I am a Warlock!"

Emma wanted nothing more than to smack him but, conveniently, a way out revealed itself. Most of the palace guards were too occupied with the troll to notice them but a few of them did attempt to attack. Robin managed to get a few with his arrows but the ones he missed Mulan was delighted to take care of.

"Still w-with me?" Emma asked Regina as they hid behind a huge pile of rubble.

"Even a pirate knows when they've found a good woman. Never let them go," Regina said in return.

"Captain!" Mulan called, removing her tomahawk from a dead soldier. She gestured to the opened gates, starting to close. "Locksley!"

"Captain." Robin came up to them and bowed his head to Regina. "A pleasure, Your Majesty."

"We'll see," Regina said.

Robin, aim truer than Regina's witnessed in years, effectively got them to the gate. Once they crossed the threshold, Graham, Mulan, and August followed just as the gates closed. They had a moment to get a breath or two in.

"It won't be long before they start to get organized again. They'll be through the gates soon," Graham stated, tying a torn cloth over a flesh wound on his arm.

"If any of you ever bothered to ask nicely ..." August muttered. With a wave of his hand and behind them were the sounds of restless horses started.

Emma helped Regina into the stagecoach as Graham and Robin took up the front. Mulan and August recovered the horses from the hidden entrance to ride ahead of them. After several minutes of silence along the trail, they were clear of the palace. Still Emma held tight to her pistol, despite her tiredness.

"Princess?" Emma looked over at Regina. "Thank you. You didn't owe me this."

"It's hard to be w-without you."

"Pirate looks good on you," Regina said. She brushed her thumb along Emma's jaw and the younger woman leaned forward a bit. "May I?"

Emma nodded, relishing the feel of Regina close again. It felt even better to have her lips on her again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are at the end.
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed this journey as much as I have. I've appreciated all your messages and reviews. You all have made this so much fun. I've enjoy every moment of it.
> 
> If you didn't like pirates before I hope some of you like them a little better now ;)
> 
> An epilogue will follow this eventually, because yes, unless you've caught a few of my hints many chapters ago, there's a surprise curveball in there for Regina and Emma.
> 
> Enjoy.

They rode far away from the palace and Robin proved his worth, leading them toward the ocean front. An almost tropical appearance, the inn was tucked in the trees. It was owned by his wife Marian who didn't bat an eyelash at the fact that her husband had brought pirates to stay the night.

What she did stare him down for was getting his boots dirty. She smacked him, throwing reprimands left and right as she handed a room key to Emma.

Regina's reward – Emma's kiss was the first – was a steaming bath. Marian must have catered to the wealthier visitors in and around England. The room the key unlocked was pristine, a stark difference from the inn the Voodoo Man served up for his allies.

The water burned and soothed her wounds and aches. If it could never go cold she would never have left it. But Emma interrupted the quiet and joined her, disregarding her clothes and the floor. The bath water spilled over the edges and with that kind of indifference toward the mess, Regina was sure Emma missed her touch as much as she missed her.

So, the moon's pale glow found them still indulging in doings that they both had gone without for too long.

Tastes and touches on familiar skin.

Among the sounds of the ocean waves and the crickets, moans fluttered across the room and got lost out the open balcony doors.

Regina raised her head, placing a light kiss against the inside of Emma's thigh. Emma groaned, squirming impatiently. She released the tight hold she had on the sheets and buried her fingers into Regina's damp hair. The feeling of silky locks between her fingers seemed to please her, making her forget the pleasure she had been receiving.

Regina returned to her center with light kisses. She met Emma's eyes and brought her tongue slowly up, brushing her wet entrance until she was at her stomach. She dipped into her belly button and Emma tightened her grip, weakly biting back a moan.

"Easy, Princess."

Regina pressed her thumb into the swollen bud, pleading and throbbing for her touch. Emma groaned in frustration, pulling her hands away from Regina. Every part of her body was tingling. The feeling was both unbearable and arousing and her lover was equally skilled and maddening.

Such was easily proven by the agonizing yet erotic circles the pad of her thumb drew over her flesh.

Fingers still unbearably prickly, Emma brought her legs together, lightly pinning Regina with her thighs.

Without much more than that, Regina removed her thumb and brought two fingers, gently, into Emma's entrance. She slowly moved in and out for a moment before easing more stimulation on her with her mouth. Emma immediately grinded against Regina's fingers.

The sensations grew more intense, obviously from the torture of having her climax delayed in favor of teasing . Emma bit the inside of her arm in poor attempt to conceal the moan that would be unfair to hold back. Especially, when Regina kept going in slow thrusts as Emma's muscles tensed tight around her fingers.

Emma's breath hitched in her throat, only allowing one name.

"Regina."

"I'm here, love," Regina said. She moved up Emma's body and connected their lips, keeping her fingers buried inside of her lover.

To her surprise, Emma pushed herself up - nearly to a sitting position - her arm around Regina and used her other hand to seize her wrist.

"Stop antagonizing me." Emma whispered against Regina's mouth before kissing her roughly.

"I'm sorry."

"You're not." Regina forced their lips together but Emma pulled away. "Faster."

Unlike the last time they'd pleasured and played, an intense pulsing brought on a blissful daze just as she reached the edge. In again, out once more. Her back arched out towards her lover as Regina's palm hit her in the right spot for what felt like the hundredth time. A moan – easily mistaken for maybe pain – surrounded the room. A wave of ice and fire rippled through her blood, deep in her bones.

Emma's eyes flutter closed, bursts of colors striking behind her eyelids. The sounds of the ocean far away from them flooded her ears and then slowly faded as her high receded. She gasped lightly at Regina's soft movements – gently pulling out and away from her.

When she opened her eyes again, Regina was examining her fingers. Emma laid back into the pillows, completely drained. She reached out and brushed her hand against Regina's arm.

"What's wrong?"

Regina held up her hand, seemingly admiring her glistening fingers, under the moon's pale glow. "Have you ever watched an Orchid bloom in the winter?"

"No. Why?"

"I haven't either but some say watching flowers bloom is the most beautiful thing in the world." Emma watched in curiosity as Regina slipped one finger into her mouth. She couldn't help but blush at the sound of approval she made just before pulling her finger away. "Watching you bloom is just as wonderful if not so much better."

Emma leaned forward and kissed her, quite enjoying the taste on Regina's tongue.

"You talk too pretty to be a pirate," she said after breaking the kiss and stroking Regina's chin with her thumb.

"You're too pretty to be one," Regina said smugly, taking a second finger into her mouth.

"You need to rest." Emma gave her only a moment for she tugged the digit from between her lips. "Come to bed."

Emma slipped under the sheets and moved them on the other side for Regina to join her. The woman did as she said and laid down with a little more ease than would have been able to hours ago. "Sleep," Emma instructed, turning to face her and draping her arm over Regina's waist.

Somehow, not to Regina's surprise, she did sleep and Emma's presence silenced her inner demons.

* * *

The morning sun shined bright and the ocean breeze blew through the balcony doors.

It was a way to wake up that Emma wouldn't mind. Nothing abrupt or dangerous, just simple. She opened her eyes when a particularly strong breeze took some of the sheets away from her bare body. Before she could reach out to retrieve the stolen spread, she spotted dark hair flowing easily in the wind.

How could she get any more beautiful?

"Stunning view, no?" Emma propped her head on her hand, eyeing Regina's bare legs.

"It's impolite to stare," Regina said. She was sure she was standing in the way of Emma's view of the water so she could only be staring at her. She was only wearing a shirt after all – a shirt that hid nothing below her waist.

"Yes. But only if it wasn't mine," Emma countered.

Regina looked at her from over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. She sat down the crystal that had previously been filled with rum. "All this time in your silence you've only just bred your smugness."

"You like hearing me speak."

"Don't doubt that, Princess," Regina said, "I'd truly never grow bored of it."

"How are you?"

"Better, clearly. Couldn't you tell from my performance last night?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Come back to bed, My Queen."

"I would love to but we must prepare now."

"For what? You're safe."

"Pirates and the world have always been at war. Today's new but no different."

"I will break your curse. I swear it."

Regina moved away from the doorway of the balcony and knelt on the bed, cupping Emma's cheek. "I know you will, my love," she said. Emma frowned in thought through the kiss Regina planted on her. "Still we must fight another day."

Someone knocked on the door. After Regina permitted the intrusion, the door slowly opened just as Emma covered up. Graham entered, his eyes raised to the ceiling just in case. At Emma's chuckle he dropped his eyes.

"Apologies," he said, watching Regina light a cigar. "I didn't mean to intrude."

Noticing Graham's curious glance, Regina blew a puff of smoke that nearly engulfed the room. She held it out to him and he shook his head.

"Ruby hates the smell," he said, "But, thank you, Your Majesty."

"You can call me Regina, Mr. Humbert."

"Of course, … _Regina_. The Devil's Hangman is approaching port."

"And we must be waiting for it when it arrives. If you've spotted it, I have no doubts that the King's men have as well." Graham bowed his head before turning on his heel until Regina stopped him. She handed Emma the cigar, unsure if the woman even cared for smoking, and stood from the bed to walk over to him. "Graham."

"Yes?"

"I appreciate everything you've done for me and I will understand if you choose to end your service here. Once we board the Devil's Hangman, I cannot guarantee if or when we will return. If you have anything of importance-"

"My Queen – Regina – I can assure you I love no one, nothing more than Ruby Lucas. And that woman is aboard your ship and she will never leave your side. I will do the same."

There was an unfamiliar twinge in her chest that she refused to acknowledge. She only felt such things when she was with Emma. Instead of answering she nodded her thanks to him. Graham bowed his head in return and then left the room. Regina turned away from the door with a small frown on her face as she touched her chest.

"Don't think too much. You're human like the rest of us," Emma said. She inhaled the cigar holding the smoke for a moment before blowing it out with a few coughs. Regina grinned. "You were cursed but you're not a heartless monster. I've watched you nurture love. Neal and Killian. Ruby and Graham."

"I've just advised them not to do anything unwise. Senseless. That's all."

Emma stood up from the bed, handing Regina back the cigar. She held their sheet to her body and managed to look coordinated and beautiful while doing it. Regina averted her eyes away from the intensity of the green ones in front of her, but Emma lifted her chin with her finger.

"Love is unwise. It's foolish but if it's real it is worth it. You can see that."

"I suppose this is the reason why I need you, Emma. To remind me."

"That isn't the only reason you need me." Emma kissed the corner of her mouth. "I hope there's more."

"Can't you tell by the way I bed you-"

"No. In your past you bedded trophies." Regina raised her eyebrows but nodded. "You make love to me."

"Only you," Regina said.

Emma smiled and dropped the sheet, walking away to find the clothes Marian had given them. It was of material well suited for battle, it'd be a shame to have lost it the night's activities.

* * *

By the time the ship was visible, they were leaving Marian's tavern and leaving Robin there as well. He wanted to assist them but Regina refused anymore of his help. He'd be away from his wife far too long. There was no use in risking himself further.

Regina returned from paying a sailor to ferry them to the ship as it couldn't actually dock in a port anywhere. August was shaking Graham's hand and accepting a hug from Emma. Mulan stopped her before she could join them.

"I'm afraid this is where I leave you, Your Majesty. Unlike your capable crew, my men are hopeless without me." Mulan said. Regina nodded her understanding. She'd done too much already. "Our debt is settled then?"

"You've never owed me a single coin, Mulan," Regina said, patting the horse standing beside her. "Although, I have a request."

"Of course."

"Please send my gratitude to my guards and staff at my estate."

"It sounds as if you won't be returning."

"I don't know that I will return. And if I do, I'm not sure when I would. It's no use to force them to wait for my reappearance. Let Charlotte know it is time she use the numbers I entrusted her with."

"If I may be honest, My Queen, you're too kind for this life."

"I'm sure I have Emma Swan to thank for that."

Mulan turned her eyes to Emma and chuckled, "I'd never fault you for giving everything up for someone like her. She's worth it."

She mounted the horse and took the reins. Looking down at Regina as the woman stared at Emma, she had a feeling this may have been the last time she'd see the pirate queen for a long time. "If you ever need anything, just send a hawk my way."

"Thank you, Captain," Regina said. Mulan rode off just as Rocinante pushed his nose into her back. She turned to him and place her hands on his head. "Leaving me as well, old friend? It's a long journey, you can stay behind."

He stepped a bit closer to her as if to burrow closer in refusal to part with her.

"He's a beautiful horse," Emma said walking up to them. She patted his neck. "A little stubborn too."

"A gift from Aladdin's father. I spent a lot of time in the sands long before any of you were born and after some time he was tired of me stealing his horses."

"Always a thief," Emma said shaking her head.

"My Queen." August came over to them and bowed shortly before Regina. "It was a pleasure."

"Was it?" Regina smirked. "Thank you, Mr. Booth. I didn't travel all that way for either you or Belle to be dead, so you go back her. Live well."

"Live  _free_ , Captain Mills."

Emma watched him go for a moment before frowning at the way Regina spoke.

"Why are you saying goodbye like you'll never see them again?" she asked.

"We are not the good ones, Emma. Being a pirate isn't forever. I know better than to lure more people into this life. One day it'll have to end."

"Don't die. Please."

"I will do everything in my power never to be apart from you again."

Emma was the first onto the ship with Regina close behind her after the crew shared the struggle of hoisting a horse onboard. Silence fell over the entire ship, all eyes taking in Regina's state. They all seemed to assess that she was okay, breaking into layers of cheers and thrown hats.

Thea was the first to push through the crowd and threw herself into Emma, who took her younger sister into her arms without a thought and nearly lifting her off the deck.

Ruby was next to get through, punching Graham before kissing him. "You foolish man why do you follow this crazy woman to hell?" She asked but chuckled before kissing him again.

"Welcome back, love," Killian said to her with Neal and James beside him.

"It's good to be back," Regina said. Ruby draped her arm over her shoulder after pulling away from Graham. "Thank you. All of you for watching over her."

"You're not a woman of too many words but clearly we'd all be killed if we didn't protect your greatest treasure," Killian said.

"That or Thea would've killed us all," Ruby said. She looked around to the crew and rolled her eyes. Killian immediately got the hint, never giving up the chance to have a drink.

"Rum on the Captain!" He shouted encouraging another round of cheers.

"Before you get everyone well-oiled let's get out to sea first, Jones."

"Aye, Captain." Regina followed him up to the helm. Her hands hovering over the wheel as her closest companions join them. "Hoist the colors."

Emma touched her shoulders, kneading them softly for comfort. "Where to Captain Mills?" Emma asked, unknowingly stunning everyone.

"Emma?" Thea looked at her in confusion and suspicion in her eyes. "You speak?"

"I do."

"Since when?" Ruby asked.

Regina looked over at Emma and then to everyone else. Emma still let her hand hold tight to her shoulder. "I had to save her. Any way I could. I didn't expect it to work," Emma confessed.

"The bond is stronger than I thought.

"Thea, I'm sorry. I promise you, if I had known the sea monster would hurt you I would've spoken but Regina didn't give me the chance to feel the agony of your loss." Thea's brow was still creased in confusion and not necessarily anger. She looked up into Emma's eyes when two hands cupped her face. "I couldn't bear anymore of her pain. And I was ready to let go of my fear."

Instead of saying anything, Thea pulled her into another hug. Emma let out a relieved breath as she wrapped her arms around her. Her eyes connected with Regina's for a moment and the pirate managed a small smile before she turned back to the helm. Her hands hovered again.

"Relax a little, Captain," Ruby said.

"Don't you have something to be doing, Miss Lucas?" Regina sighed.

"I'm no sailor. But if you have someone you want me to kill, I'm your woman." They exchanged a look smug for frustrated. "Emma made a pretty good captain, too. If you want her to be in charge."

"Only as a last resort," Emma said, "I prefer you be my captain, Your Majesty."

"With pleasure."

Regina lowered her hands onto the handles of the wheel. After a moment the ship lurched forward, beginning to make it's turn away from the mainland and soon to be gone in the wind. She looked away from the water to the people she might dare call her friends. She could survive on the sea in another land for however long but they could want something more.

"I don't know if I'll return here. If …" Regina sighed and addressed the ship, raising her voice over the sounds on preparation. "As your captain, I believe I should show you the courtesy in allowing you to leave the ship now before we're too far away from land. I do not know when or if I will make the journey back."

"Don't do me no good goin' back there," someone said from the masses. A lot of nods were given at that.

"We're all pirates. You promised us adventure, Captain Mills."

"Eh tu, Salazar?" Regina asked.

"You promised us riches." He shrugged, tying off a knot in the rope.

"Well, quartermaster? Shall, we continue?"

"Do you ever really listen to me?" Smee asked, waving his hands around in frustration.

Killian rolled his eyes and cleared his throat. He gestured to himself and everyone else around the helm. "We're here to stay. So what will it be, Regina Mills? Captain of the Devil's Hangman, Pirate Lord of all the seas … Queen of the Pirates."

"Nassau it is," Regina said.

"You heard her," Killian said down to the deck before anyone could cheer. "To the Republic."

He received a few grumbles in reply but ignored them as he always did.

* * *

Within an hour the land was fading in the distance and the sunset would be approaching soon. Everyone left her to navigate, uncaring of the destination.

Surprisingly, in the fight to get out of the king's clutches, Daniel slipped her a parting gift.

Some of the stolen maps from the display in the King's drawing room.

It was easy to forgive him, but he'd always bother her. Truthfully, she had been only angry with him because she couldn't love him. Not the way she thought she was feeling for Emma. Angry with herself and then angry because he betrayed his brother and Regina cared for Killian in the few ways she could.

Something about the way Daniel handled seeing her again only made her speculate that maybe he knew that as well. He'd said nothing the last few moments their eyes met in the courtyard. Just the maps.

One specifically for Killian.

An apology.

She wouldn't follow that. Killian could sail there whenever he felt ready to except the peace offering.

"Want to talk about it, love?" Killian asked, appearing just as she was about to retire to her cabin for a few hours.

Regina pulled the rolled parchment from the inside of her coat and handed it to him. He took it from her bringing attention to his left arm, clearly missing something. His cry of pain echoed in her head often during her imprisonment.

"Does it hurt?"

"What?" He asked, raising his left arm wrapped in fabric under the sleeve of his coat. "This? It's nothing."

"Your hand is missing."

"Doesn't make me any less of a pirate. A man."

"I never said so." She glanced at her own hands. Her thoughts roamed back to Thea's death. "I don't think I can-"

"Not asking you to, Regina. I will be just fine. If I need a favor, I'll ask."

Regina nodded her understanding. "It's from your brother. The map. He apologizes."

"Is that supposed to make up for-"

"No. But he has a little girl …a wife. He either fought for them or they died."

"It's no excuse."

"I didn't say it was."

Killian remained silent as she left down to her quarters. Her two ever vigilant guards were awaiting her at the door. Even still expressionless, the tiniest of grins were on their faces as one of them opened the door for her. It wasn't as surprising that she might have missed that during her absence.

Her contentment barely had time to settle when she heard a terrible sound from inside. She moved quickly, stepping back as Thea rushed to the water bowl near her desk and dipped a white cloth to soak. Regina's eyes cut to Emma on her side of their bed, hunch over a bucket.

"Emma?"

The woman retched and a last of her sick spell splattered into the bucket. She coughed and then sighed at the wet cloth touching her skin. She was grateful for the flask of water, rinsing her mouth - obviously Regina's presence not yet realized.

Thea glanced at her and then picked up the bucket to remove it and have an excuse to leave them alone to talk. Especially if Regina is thinking what she's thought for a while now.

Regina walked over to the bed, sitting down next to Emma. "You're sick?" She asked with a furrowed brow.

"I'm fine, Regina. It's nothing."

"She's been this way since you were captured," Thea interrupted.

"Thea!" Emma exclaimed as the younger blonde escaped the room. Emma sighed, pulling the cloth from around her neck. "Regina-"

"You've been ill. Something is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine. I feel fine." She put her hand over Regina's in the spot between them. "Everything is fine."

"No." Regina snatched her hand away, standing up from the bed. "You …no. You're sick. It's because of me …my curse."

"Regina, no. I've been ill for a few moments sometimes. That is all. I promise."

Regina stopped pacing and looked at Emma. Her eyes narrowed, inspecting Emma's form several times in attempt to find the cause of her sickness.

"Ever since I left?" Emma shrugged her shoulders, wanting the conversation to be done with. It was nothing. At least that's what she figured until a sharp intake of breath from Regina caught her attention. "How could I …I should've known better."

"What are you on about?" Emma asked.

She stood up closing the distance between them. Her hand reached out to brush against Regina's, but she stumbled into her as something tore through the room, sending debris at them. They both fell to the floor.

Regina recovered quickly and first noticed the hole in the side of the ship and then the panicked Rocinante below deck. Emma got up behind her immediately putting her hands on Regina to feel for wounds. Luckily, she found no gaping hole in her stomach.

"It appears as though no one wants us to have this conversation," Regina murmured.

"Regina," Emma called after her, following her out the door.

"What's going on?"

"Battle stations!" Killian shouted, sending the crew into a scramble.

The cannons were out in seconds and Regina and Emma were back at the wheel of the ship, as if the universe refused to let either of them leave for long. Regina checked her spyglass, spotting familiar colors coming full speed towards them from the front. To her left another ship started to circle them cannons preparing to fire again.

"Brace for impact!" She yelled just as several more cannonballs smashed through the ship. Emma stumbled backwards but Regina caught her forearm to keep her upright.

"Captain?" Killian turned to her. "There's another ship."

An all black ship with red sails was ramming towards them from the right side. It was just their luck it was an ally – because the ship was the Danh-hwe. It was quite literally the fastest ship in the known world. So there wasn't much disbelief that the Danh-hwe was in the distance once and then devouring the naval ship a few moments later. The bowsprit cut through the ship, a ghostly mist overtaking it from sight.

"I've had worse odds," Regina said, pulling Killian's sword from his belt.

"Incoming!"

A bombardment of arrows rained down on the deck taking down ten members of the crew. One nicked Regina in the arm and another landed perfectly at the tip of James' boot down below.

"Let them board," Regina instructed.

"What?" Killian questioned.

"Don't stop firing." She looked at her arm, sighing that the wound closed. "It's still not broken."

"I'll figure it out. I promise," Emma said.

"You can't be here."

"What does that mean?"

"You just can't be here."

"Where do you expect me to go, Regina?" Emma asked, as the other naval ship came up on their side.

Silence fell over both ships. No one moved a muscle even as things burned and leaks broke out in the hull. Regina's eyes connected with Gaston's from across the water. He looked ragged and bruised, unkempt. He must have really enjoyed August's surprise in the courtyard.

Essentially, all she was doing was running away from the problem that was the Navy. If it truly were the vendetta she knew the King denied constantly, Gaston and his men would attack first …again.

Fire.

The word he spoke could be seen for miles. The stillness vanished. The silence disappeared under pained moans and creaking wood. A cannonball smashed into the foremast and it snapped, crashing down onto the rival ship. It provided a perfect means of passage for the navy soldiers to board the ship and they did while the Danh-hwe collided with the right side of the ship.

"That better had been an accident," Regina muttered descending the stairs to the helm. A soldier rushed her from the fallen mast and she easily took him down, taking his pistol and tossing it to Emma.

"We have to figure this out, Regina," Emma said, shooting two soldiers. "We have to break it."

"Not now."

"You don't know what happens to you if the ship is destroyed and you are still cursed."

"It's quite simple actually," a voice said from behind them.

"Voodoo Man?"

"Facilier," Regina said. "Did you have to dock  _in_  the side of my ship?"

The man shrugged smugly, standing above them at the helm. "You try telling spirits how to navigate a class four ship."

"Any closer and I would've had a crew full of spirits myself. What do you want?"

"I'm here to help, of course."

Regina clashed swords with two soldiers taking them blow for blow. Emma knew not to be too worried about Regina's swordplay and put her attention back to Facilier. "Wait, you said it was simple. You know how to break the curse?"

"Yes. A union."

"What?" Ruby questioned from behind him. "A wedding?"

"Unconventional but yes."

"That's not possible. We are …women."

Emma dodged an attacker.

She snatched the blade from his belt and stabbed him in the neck.

Facilier disappeared in black smoke and reappeared right in front of her. He tapped his cane on the deck and spirits poured from the skull, grabbing soldiers and dragging them away out to the water.

"You just need the right man for the duty. The Pirate Lords have never outlawed such marriage and the union is law."

"And you can do that?"

"Of course. The curse will only break if it is a true love union." Facilier appraised Emma, giving her a strange smile. "And it seems to be so. Congratulations are in order for the both of you."

Regina and Thea overpowered a bulky soldier, shoving him overboard. Thea looked at Regina with a small frown. "She's with child?"

"I'm sorry," Regina said, "I didn't think …I refused to believe she'd truly love me in that way."

"What are you saying, Regina?" Emma asked, their collective conversation reaching each other's ears easily.

"The mermaids. They grant wishes to true loves. I didn't expect anything to come out of our night there together."

"The love you share created a child within you by the mermaids' magic. They seek out pure love and obviously the ruthless pirate queen has acquired it," Facilier said. "Because of you."

"I'm sorry, Emma," Regina said, walking up to her.

"Why do you apologize?"

"This was never your wish. Especially, the child."

"I do want this. I want you, our love, our child." Regina tensed, looking uncertain when Emma took her hand. "If you want to marry me, I want this."

"Go on, love," Killian said from behind her. He held out a ring to her. It was silver with a diamond in the middle. "One of us should use it."

Regina recognized it from one of the treasures they'd come across and at the time something so much less flashy than the rest of her jewelry seemed pointless to take. For a pirate, she didn't care much for gold, which was why there was never trouble with her crew. She gave her findings away often.

She took it from his hand just as more of the Navy soldiers began to rush at them in another wave, this time with Gaston trying to fight his way through the Hangman's crew.

Thea handed Emma a ring as well, earning a curious look from Regina. "It was our grandmother's," she explained. Emma was reluctant to take it. "I'm sure she'd be rolling over in her grave. You're marrying a pirate."

"I think our entire family would be disappointed in me," Emma said, shooting down a blue coat rushing at them.

"But she said we had to promise to only use it if it was true love. I have never seen truer. Mother and father only want you to be happy. They knew you were an odd one. They'll only be upset they weren't invited …and it wasn't proper."

Emma looked back at Regina, who was staring nervously down at the ring in her own hands. She smiled and looked back Thea. "I think once they get passed her rough exterior, they'll love her too. She is a queen after all."

"This is true." Thea glanced around and chuckled. "We'll handle this. You three make some … _more_  magic."

"Well?" Facilier asked. "Shall we begin?"

"Regina?" Emma looked back at the pirate queen who hadn't joined them.

"Yes." Regina took her extended hand to pull her close. She touched Emma's waist, taking a moment to look down at her stomach. Then she turned to Facilier. "I'm ready."

He cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved, we're gathered-"

"Facilier," Regina growled. "We don't have that kind of time."

"I like weddings, but she has a point. I don't want to be stabbed in the middle of this."

"That would be unfortunate," he murmured watching as Regina took a dagger from Emma's belt and flung it at soldier who'd set his sights on them. "Well, then ...Emma …"

"Swan," Emma supplied.

"Ah, yes. Emma Swan, do you take this …pirate." Regina cleared her throat. "…Woman to be your wife …partner …mate?"

"I do," Emma answered, smiling over at Regina, easing the other woman's anxiousness. She received a small smile in return.

"Excuse me a moment?" Ruby asked aiming an arrow in the space separating Facilier and Emma and Regina. She took out their quartermaster from a remarkable distance before stepping away. "Congratulations."

"And do you, Regina Mills, take this woman to be your wife …in sickness and decent health till death do you part? Hopefully not too soon."

"I do," Regina answered, beginning to feel a bit lighter suddenly.

"Well as Captain of the Danh-hwe, Pirate Lord of the seven seas, guardian of souls. I now pronounce you-"

An axe hurdled towards them and they all stepped away from it. Gaston's dirty, ragged form was a staring them down, intent on destroying the moment permanently.

"You may want to exchange rings and kiss before this ceremony gets more bloody," Facilier said.

"I love you," Emma said, taking Regina's hand and slipping the ring onto her finger.

Regina felt strange after the action, her hand shaking as she did the same with the ring she had. "I love you, Emma Swan," she said, "Truly, absolutely …entirely. With all my being."

"You can kiss me now," Emma whispered with a smile.

"I grow bored of this," Facilier muttered to himself but they still heard. He released his cane, it staying upright without his support. He raised his hands strong, white magic pouring in all direction, spirits taking Navy soldiers and their captain away in a mist.

Emma ignored the display, grateful they wouldn't be interrupted – though she was impressed.

She and Regina met in the middle, lips colliding in a simple, yet remarkable kiss. Regina felt lighter and lighter, a tingling sensation crawling her spine. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She gasped at the feeling in her chest, forcing their lips to part.

Something seemingly stronger than even Facilier's magic, glowed under Regina's skin. The magic rippled throughout the ship, even the surrounding sea.

Emma was knocked off her feet, landing conveniently in her sister's arms who managed to reach out for her as she faltered herself. The pulses continued and slowly faded until all that was left was the orange and red of the evening sky. The ocean made soft sounds against the ships on it's surface and birds flew above where they hadn't been before.

Emma got to her feet, eyes going to the spot she knew Regina to be.

"Regina?"

Her eyes widened, shining, a smile coming across her face and tears tickling her cheeks.


	24. Chapter 24

Regina stood at the shore watching the still ship sit on the calm waters.

It had been ages since she'd last seen the Devil's Hangman. A while after her makeshift wedding in the middle of a battle, she had a decision to make. It only took a few days of adjusting to her mortality before she realized that the life was truly not what she desired anymore. Even without being cursed, the love of being a pirate faded – almost completely.

But not all ties had to be severed. The life had brought her Emma and she didn't need much else after that. Though, in a strange way, the Hangman was something special to her. It was a prison sometimes, but it had a place in her heart still. So, she had to give it to someone who would treat it well.

"Regina." Killian came from her right side with his arms out and a pleased smile on his face. "It's good to see you, love."

Regina was still not one for physical contact, but she tolerated the hug he gave her. She patted his back and was thankful that he knew not to prolong it. He stepped back, letting her examine him. His hair was longer, tied up to stay out of his face and his beard was growing out. His missing hand now replaced with a silver hook.

"You look good, Killian," Regina said. "How is the King of Pirates? How's the Hangman?"

"Hangman's well, but no King." He chuckled walking with her along the shoreline. "Only the pirate lords now. You're still the queen. If you ever come back someday, you'll still have your title. Especially with the mysterious death of England's dear King. Speaking of …would you come back, Captain Mills?"

He'd asked a few times, but it'd been three years since she'd insisted to Emma a pirate ship was no way to spend a pregnancy and it was certainly no place to raise a child. Three years since she'd asked to have the Hangman make the trip to her homeland and the moment she step foot on the sand she never wanted to leave.

Before she could respond Emma walked up to them with a little boy in her arms.

"And that's my answer."

Regina wouldn't leave those two ever. Especially, not for pirating. He understood that. With them is where she belonged but it didn't hurt to tease occasionally.

Killian removed his hook and put it on his belt as the boy reached out for him once Emma joined them. He accepted the child and grimaced at the instant pull at his beard.

"Killi …" Henry babbled with fistfuls of Killian's beard in his little hands.

"Henry, don't do that. What did I say about pulling?" Emma warned.

"He's fine. How are you little pirate?" Killian asked. Henry didn't respond, too preoccupied by the jewelry around Killian's neck.

"No pirates," Regina said, earning a raised eyebrow from him.

Emma slipped her arm around Regina and kissed her cheek before she explained what she meant. "Regina has been telling him stories about anything other than pirates. Henry wants to be a prince."

"Ah, I see." Killian nodded. "Prince Henry it is."

"So, Captain Hook, how are things?"

"Things are well." Henry leaned away ready to be put down and Killian complied as he conversed with his mothers. "Well as a pirate's life can be, at least."

"I suppose that's good. How's everyone else?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself?"

Emma and Regina turned around to see a group in the distance, closer to their house. Henry took off running towards the excitement and Emma ran off after him, even though everyone Killian could've brought along she and Regina felt comfortable enough to leave Henry with. The Hangman's crew was still very much terrified of Regina so if they were left in charge of her son, nothing would dare go wrong.

"If I had known you invited more guests, I would've built a bigger house," Regina said with her eyebrows drawn together.

"No need to worry, Your Majesty. We can arrange accommodations later."

* * *

The moment she'd seen all the guests Killian had brought along with him, Regina knew there was no way she was inviting them to celebrate in the modest house made just for her family. Her former home was perfect for the festivities. It also provided the space she needed because she still wasn't as social as Emma could be.

"Hello, my love." A voice called from behind her as she leaned against the railing on the balcony. "How's my girl?"

"I'm well," Regina said as she turned away from the ocean view. She smiled shyly at her father as he was looking at her curiously. His spirit stepped up to her and reached out. She closed her eyes and sighed at the feeling of his hand ghosting against her skin as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Why are you not with your friends?"

"I need time to think, Father." That was mostly true. She'd walked near a window earlier and spotted an unfamiliar ship docking. She was still cautious as cautious as ever.

"You've had a very long life to think. Do I have to keep reminding you to live?" Regina shook her head and Henry softened. "How's my neto?"

"Tiring," Regina said with an endearing smile that she saved just for Emma and Henry. "But he's happy."

"And Emma?"

"I do my best. I think it's enough for her."

"She looks happy." At Regina's curious look he tilted his chin towards the balcony doors. "Your mother is with them now."

"You reminded her not to make Emma uncomfortable …again?"

"She swore it."

Regina let out a long breath and nodded. She pushed away from the railing and smiled at her father. He held his arm out for her and she took it. "Let's go see if her word holds any weight."

Her father rolled his eyes and walked in step with her back to the celebration. They found Cora and Emma conversing and it seemed her father's warning did work since Emma didn't have that pleading look in her eyes. She appeared interested in the conversation and her eyes only lit up even more when she spotted them coming.

"Mother."

Cora turned around in surprise. Regina had avoided her the first time after Regina's curse had been broken and her cold exterior was thawing with each year. A tentative smile pulled at her lips at the sight of Regina. It had taken some time, but Regina slowly started to make her appearance softer even if she wasn't much different. Still scary and intimidating but not to Emma and certainly nothing scary to Henry.

"Regina. You look beautiful."

Regina accepted the hug Cora wrapped her in, bristling but more comfortable than she had been a year ago. But she did roll her eyes, earning a raised eyebrow from Emma.

Her mother always said she looked beautiful no matter what she was wearing and tonight she was wearing nothing close to the dress Emma had insisted she wear. She refused a dress and Emma warned her about dressing to scare people off – which meant any of her old pirate and captain uniforms wouldn't do.

So, a deep red tunic and a pair black trousers were beautiful on her according to her apologetic mother.

"Thank you, mother."

"Of course, dear." Cora pulled away sensing it was going to be the end of their conversation. She turned to Emma. "We were just discussing Henry."

"Where  _is_  Henry?" Regina asked, looking between Emma and her mother.

"Oh, he's with Neal and Ruby," Emma said.

"Mr. Cassidy, hm?"

"Henry likes him. "

Regina nodded, but her eyes still searched around for a sign of him. Emma noticed her anxiety and she moved away from Henry Sr. and Cora and slipped her arm around Regina's waist. "He is fine," she whispered. Regina's tense shoulders relaxed slightly at Emma's touch, calming from the lips brushing her cheek.

Before anyone could say anything, Killian came over. "Surprise for you, Swan." He gestured closer to the front of the house and a collective group of curious expressions were directed at him. "It's a good surprise. Swear it on my life …and Neal's."

"That makes it so much better," Regina said, "Swear it on your lover."

"It always means so much when you do it, Regina."

"Regina," Emma said, knowingly. Regina held back her retort and let the fleeting touch of Emma's hand on her collarbone settle her.

Emma followed Killian through the groups of guests and was met with the sight of James lifting someone off the ground. A familiar someone. Other than Henry – who seemed to charm literally everyone around him – James was never excited to see anyone. Except one other person.

"Thea?" Emma questioned with her eyebrow slightly furrowed.

James gently pulled out of the embrace and Thea smiled at her sister. It'd been almost a year and a half since they'd last seen each other. Emma had only been given news from James and letters from Thea but they hadn't actually seen each other.

Regina took a step back as they embraced, just in time as Henry came ramming towards her.

"Mama." Regina quickly handed her drink to Killian and scooped him up into her arms before he could crash into her legs.

"What did we say about running, Henry?" Regina questioned and received a frustrated pout from her son. "I will let it go this time, mijo. You are just like you mother." She kissed his cheek and he grinned smugly as he cuddled into her. Henry Sr. and Cora were looking at them both with affectionate smiles.

Regina felt herself blush and ducked her head away from them, looking back to Emma and Thea who were just pulling out of their hug.

"Well, I know you're alive now," Emma said.

"Of course, can't get rid of me that easily," Thea said. Her eyes caught Regina and Henry just behind Emma and her smile grew bright again. "How's my favorite nephew?"

"Your only nephew," Emma reminded, amusingly. She brushed her hand over Henry's hair. "Henry is just as you would expect."

"Taking after which of you?"

"He's curious and loud. But also very mischievous. He has a temper."

"Definitely not you then, Emma," Thea said. "How are you, Regina?"

"I'm well." Emma gave her an appreciative look. Regina wasn't normally this social – no matter the occasion. "And yourself?"

"I am doing amazing. I also have a surprise for you, Emma."

"I thought you were the surprise?" Emma frowned.

"Part of it." Thea waved at someone that neither Regina nor Emma could see.

Regina trained her eyes on a pair moving towards them. They were older, greying in the hair and not likely to be able to keep up with the rowdy pirates. They seemed to be a little amazed by her people and Regina wasn't sure if she should be offended by their stares. Although, she was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if Thea knew them and apparently Emma as well.

A tall blonde man and a brunette woman. Everything about them felt familiar and it was bit worrying. She got uneasy when Emma rushed to hug the man. Regina was sure she heard the word father come out of Emma's mouth.

Honestly, in all of her marriage to Emma and her life in general she never actually gave thought to having to meet her parents. The idea of being social just gave her hives – which Emma didn't really believe sometimes but it was a great avoidance excuse.

"Ma," Henry said, reaching out towards Emma.

Regina put him down when he started to squirm, and she watched him interrupt the reunion between his mother and her parents. She didn't think to stop him either. He was their grandson. He interrupted the reunion and Emma picked him up, introducing him to her parents. Regina took a step away and then turned on her heel with the intention of disappearing into the guests. Killian, Henry Sr., and Cora looked at her in concern, but she couldn't get away before Emma called out to her.

"Regina?" She reluctantly turned around to her. Emma was smiling at her and Henry was settled in his grandmother's arms. Her feet moved against her will as Emma waved her over. As soon as she was in Emma's reach, a hand settled on her arm. "Mother, Father this is Regina."

"Captain Regina Mills," her father said, walking forward. He was nearly invading Regina's personal space. Emma frowned as they just stared at each other. Her father was narrowing his eyes slowly at Regina and the former pirate was unwillingly meeting his eye with a blank expression. Although, Emma could tell Regina was uncomfortable from having to meet new people.

Suddenly, a smile broke out on his face and his eyes softened.

"Papa," Emma hissed, rolling her eyes. He was being funny but even with as much social progress Regina has made, she's still …prickly.

He moved forward before she could stop him, and his arms were wrapped around Regina. Emma watched her wife stiffen in the embrace and she called out weakly, "Father…"

"Is she all right?" Her mother asked, seeing that her new daughter in law was wide eyed.

"I'm not sure. Regina doesn't like …touching."

"Touching?" Her mother frowned. "How can that-"

"She was a pirate lord, mother. She wasn't affectionate. Being so close to people meant you die or they do." Emma sighed. "She's learning. Henry and I make it easy for her but other people – strangers – are new."

Regina's form didn't relax at all and her fists tightened at her sides. Emma noticed and met her eyes. She shook her head, seeing that Regina was resisting a bad urge to do something violent. Regina was very good at restraint, but the hug couldn't go on forever. Emma touched her father's shoulder to coax him away.

He pulled away with a tear in his eye and an appreciative smile on his face. "Thank you for saving her and …keeping them both safe, Captain."

"It's just Regina now," Regina said quietly, unsure what to do with her hands.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Regina," Emma's mother said, reaching her hand out. The action was relieving for Regina and she was fine to accept a handshake. "Welcome to the family. We're so happy have you …and Henry."

Regina nodded and pulled her hand away. Emma hovered her hand over Regina's back and said, "I think Ruby wanted to see you." Regina frowned and glanced around.

"I'm giving you an out, Regina." Emma chuckled.

"Thank you," Regina said. She kissed Emma and paused to look at Henry before leaving to find Ruby.

* * *

"Emma …"

Regina laughed, gently wrapping a leg around Emma's thigh as the other woman hovered over her. A shiver crawled down her back as warm, damp lips caressed her neck. She softly pushed Emma away, her lips teasing too much and her hands leaving trails of fire on her stomach.

"Emma …"

"I'll stop." Emma leaned close again and buried her nose in Regina's neck.

She pressed one final kiss to her skin before she pulled back and connected her lips with Regina's. Brown eyes shined from below her, only momentarily distracting her from the hands gripping her waist under her shirt. Emma raised an eyebrow down at her wife as the same hands brought her closer and Regina's palms were gliding over her breasts. Emma grabbed her wrist and removed it from under her shirt. "I thought we were done." Emma kissed her knuckles. She untangled herself and settled back down into her spot beside Regina.

"Thank you," Emma said.

" _Thank you_ ," Regina said back.

"No. Not that. I meant for earlier tonight." Emma touched her arm. "You dealt with my parents. You didn't kill them for hugging you."

"I don't like hugging."

"From other people. I know."

"Are you …happy here?"

Emma smiled softly. "You always ask me that, but you never tell me what made you ask. Are you happy? Is something wrong?" Regina frowned slightly and averted her eyes to the large open windows, letting in a night breeze. "Was it dinner with my parents? I know they can be pushy and intrusive …did they say something to you?"

"Nothing like that, darling."

"You worry too much," Emma said. She reached out and ran her thumb over her wife's forehead, as if it would force the worried creases away. "You spent around a hundred years worrying, Regina. You can stop now, I promise. I'm happy with you. With Henry. Are you?"

"Of course, I am. You are my world."

"Everything will be fine. I'm going to give you the best life I can. I must remind you too often that you deserve this happiness."

Regina grinned and leaned forward to kiss her. Emma accepted the kiss, smiling at her. Before the kiss even really began, a thud sounded outside their door. Emma bit her lip in amusement as Regina growled in frustration. It'd taken so long to finally get him to bed the first time. She tossed away the covers and strode towards the door.

"Henry!"

Hearing her shouting normally made others nervous but Emma could easily calm Regina when she was stressed out. And Henry just found her occasional, lighthearted anger-

A giggle and little feet running away from the door followed Regina's call.

Emma stood up from their bed with the sheet in her hands. She wrapped it around Regina's chest from behind, knowing her wife wouldn't stalk out of the room naked to chase their son back into bed. "You know he doesn't find you scary. Not even a little …" Emma chuckled, kissing her bare shoulder. "You put him down first, so I'll go this time."

Regina instantly soften, even though she wasn't the slightest bit upset, and nodded to Emma. Her eyes followed Emma as she opened the door and went off to find Henry. After a moment of silence the house echoed with Henry's shrieks of surprise at being caught by Emma. She disappeared deeper into their room to find her night clothes again in the dim candle light.

"Why are you giving Mama a hard time, hm?" Emma questioned, carrying his squirming form back into his room. He giggled in response and Emma just shook her head. She deposited him back into his bed and tucked him under his blankets. She kissed his forehead and said, "Goodnight, sweet boy."

"No," Henry said, fingers hook into Emma's sleeve. "Stwry."

"A story?" He nodded. "Mama already told you a story."

"One more," he begged, flashing innocent green eyes at her. Every time he did that to her it was a reminder of the torture Regina must go through trying to be firm and say no to either of them. She laughed and smoothed his wild hair down.

"One more story." Emma agreed. She lit a candle and place it at his bedside before sitting back down on the edge of his bed. "What story?"

"Mama's stwry."

Emma glanced over her shoulder, noticing Henry's eyes lit up a bit before he stated what he wanted to hear. Regina was standing in the doorway smiling at him. Henry looked back at her and smiled brightly.

Regina raised her finger and said, "Just one more time, my prince."

Henry nodded and buried himself under her the covers.

"Which story do you want to hear about Mama, Henry?"

"Yours."

"Ah." Emma nodded. She met Regina's eyes and they both smiled. She turned back to Henry and cleared her throat for effect – Henry said it made the story better. "Where shall I begin…"

Regina closed her eyes and listen to a story she once hated.

" _The seas were silent for twenty whole years_  …"

She had once hated to hear it and loathed to live it.

But she met Emma and then they met Henry.

And she listened to a story Emma told their son almost every night.

A story she has come to love.


End file.
